Expecting something unexpected
by Lu82
Summary: Thor brought Loki home and now he has to face the Asgardian law. Odin already knows very well what to do, but what if there were… unexpected consequences? A rather crazy Post Avengers. Thoki… or Lhor; what you prefer XD. WARNING:I know that I'm in awful late. I'm so sorry, but I'm super busy! I'm going to update sooner or later...
1. Prologue: Return Home

_Hello (or rather goodnight, since it's kind of late)!_

_Yeah, I know that I have another story in progress, but this one kept jumping on my mind.. and finally it won! XD_

_I guarantee that 'Who am I? ' (and all the stuff that follows) will be my main project and the one I'll always give the priority. ;)_

_Well, you'll figure out that I shamelessly love direct speeches XD._

_Okay, I'll keep silent and leave you to the result of my madness (Okay, it will get crazier, but the title should give you a hint of what this story will eventually be about )._

_Feel free to tell me everything, but thanks anyway for your time! ^^_

_p.s. Still needing a beta, so I just hope my English is not too awful *apologizes*_

**EXPECTING SOMETHING UNEXPECTED **

**Setting**: Asgard. Post-Avengers (I know there's tons of stories with this setting and maybe it could be similar to another one, but I guarantee that I didn't stole this idea from anyone ^^)

**Disclaimer**_:_ Loki, Thor, ecc. don't belong to me, I just write for fun.

**Pairing:** Loki&Thor, of course 3

**Rating**: pg13 so far, it will eventually increase.

**Summary:** Thor brought Loki home and now he has to face the Asgardian law. Odin already knows very well what to do, but what if there were… unexpected consequences?

A rather crazy Post Avengers. Thoki… or Lhor; what you prefer XD.

**Prologue: Return home**

The Tesseract does its duty and in a blaze of blue two figures appear to the Asgard's boundary.

The first figure is blond, mighty and grinning; not because he came back home, but because he didn't come back alone.

The second figure is brunet, puny and rather bothered; although he can't display his disappointment with words, since a magic, metal gag prevents him from speaking.

"Let's go!" the blond commands, tugging lightly that chains that are linked to the brunet; which stares at him with all the hatred he can muster.

"Believe me, I'm not even remotely amused to see you like this, but you put yourself in this condition on your own, although I tried to warn you… more than once!" the god of Thunder asserts, as he keeps dragging him.

The god of Mischief moves forwards, because he's forced to; as he can hear the sound of his steps echoing in all the land that seems to be totally desert.

Steps. Echo. Silence. This keeps repeating in series, constantly; as the distance that separates them from the Royal Palace where there will be Loki's trial, becomes shorter and shorter.

Loki doesn't understand the reason of that bleakness and Thor seems to read that question in his puzzled look.

"It's my will. I gave specific ordering that, in case I managed to bring you home, no one should be around!" Thor explains.

Loki's wide, emerald eyes hide a bigger and even easier to guess question.

"I did it because I want you to understand that I'm not going to humiliate you, brother… and don't make that face at me!" Thor scolds him, when he sees Loki rolling his eyes, annoyed.

"As I was saying," Thor resumes talking, calmer, waiting patiently for his interlocutor to pay attention to him again. "My goal is not to put you through the humiliation of crossing the path in chains, in front of the whole population; no one will look at you with scorn, dislike or indignation, while we walk." he assures.

Loki looks at him impressed and Thor's heart sings happily because of that.

"My goal is to find my brother again! And he used to look at me the same way you're looking at me now!" he comments, with a hint of victory sparkling in his sapphire eyes; but the younger god immediately changes expression, showing him another dramatic rolling of eyes.

"And he used to be as puckish as you!" Thor states, not upset at all, proving that with a giggle.

Loki realises that he lost that little battle and they keep walking.

There are only a few meters to the palace and Thor can read in Loki's eyes an explicit request.

"You know better than me that I can't." the blond declares fiercely.

Loki keeps staring at him imperishably and Thor's initial irrevocability begins to waver.

"After all, you already have the magic chains that make you harmless…"the god of Thunder ponders out loud, as he keeps staring at him.

The brunet increases the intensity of his look. Emerald and sapphire melt together.

"Do you assure to me that you won't try to do anything iniquitous?" the blond asks the brunet with a pliable sigh.

Loki nods and in his irises Thor can find something that has been missing for a long time: sincerity.

"Our father was supposed to set you free from the gag, before your trial, but…" the elder god grumbles, raising his hand on the younger god's mouth. "So be it!" he states, pressing his palm on the gag, which immediately falls on the ground, with a metallic noise.

Loki moves his lips and tongue for a while, as if he was trying to take confidence with his mouth again.

After all, in a Midgardian unit of time, Loki has been gagged with that hellish tool for more than twenty-four hours.

Once he's done, he turns to his brother, with mischief and a glint of pettiness back inside his eyes.

"Th…" the god of Chaos commences and Thor listens to him thrilled, sure that he's about to thank him.

After all, he has always been so naïve!

"Thewy (*) idiot! You, ugly imbecile, you infamous bastard! You, stupid yokel! How did you dare? You and your little friends chained me as a common beast! _Me_, a god!" Loki waffles, hysteric and enraged, inundating Thor with his stream of angry words.

"Hey! You promised me that you wouldn't have done anything iniquitous!" Thor cuts him off, covering promptly his mouth with his hand, but Loki breaks free with a brutal bite.

"But to insult you is not something iniquitous, it's only necessary!" Loki points out, as calm as sharp.

"However, my little friends, as you called them, and I gave you a rough ride, especially a certain green and very angry dude!" Thor chuckles at the memory, while Loki gnashes his teeth, indignant.

"Besides, for the record, you're not a proper god, my dear _adopted_ frost giant!" Thor reminds to him, as sharp as well.

"That was very unfair of you!" Loki suffers from that low blow.

"What can I say? I happen to know a very good teacher of unfairness!" the blond strikes back pungently, and then he sees the brunet bending his lips and looking deeply disappointed.

"Oh, c'mon, god of Pout, don't act like that! I was joking before!" he slaps his back playfully, but that pat is stronger that he meant it to be, so it sends Loki several meters further.

Loki dangles, losing his balance and no matter how many efforts he does to keep his balance, he fails, without any chance to avoid his falling, since the chains prevent him from moving.

He gets ready for the unpleasant impact with the Asgardian ground, but he lands on something soft… and warm.

He's in Thor's arms, since the blond has promptly grabbed him, in order to prevent his brother from falling.

On second hand, that situation is very awkward for both of them, as they stare at each other in deep silence, unsure about what to do.

It has been a long, long time since those two hugged each other like that, although that contact is anything but brotherly.

Loki figures out that it's better to leave that minefield… and quickly. That's why he resorts to his infallible silver tongue.

"So what? Do you mean to take me to the trial like this or are you going to let me go?" he barks, irritated, wriggling.

"What? Huh! Right… " Thor mumbles, as confused as the brunet, recovering a little bit and letting the trickster go, well.. not literally, there are still the chains that remind to Loki his status of captive.

"However, I missed hearing your voice!" the god of Thunder murmurs.

"What? I did nothing but insult you!" the god of Mischief looks at him, stunned.

"I missed that, too!" the other admits, shyly.

"I knew you were here, I could hear you squawk, just like you used to do when you were kids!" a female voice interrupts them.

Turning, the two gods meet the apparently severe look of their mother, the queen Frigg.

"You shouldn't shilly-shally, there's such important trial to accomplish!" the woman tries her best to look authoritative, but her legs tremble and her eyes fill with tears, while she approaches to that son whom she thought was lost forever.

Loki confines himself to look at her with teary eyes. She is the only person in that adoptive family who he has always linked to happy and pleasant memories. She is the only person who maybe really made him feel loved like a son.

He's torn between the temptation of a moment of ephemeral affection and the necessity to display a cold detachment.

Frigg seems to decide for them both.

Without paying attention to her elder son, who tries to make her desist, since he's afraid that something unpleasant could happen; she hugs the younger god, without any hesitation.

"Welcome back, my dear son!" she murmurs, as she arranges his messy, long, black locks, framing his face, utterly certain that he won't hurt her.

She's right, Loki just enjoys that short embrace, cursing the chains that prevents him from hugging her back; as he feels in his heart a heat that he hadn't felt for a long, way too long time.

"The father of all gods is waiting for you!" the queen recovers, parting from him and heading back to the palace.

Thor follows her, as he drags Loki with him.

TBC

_So, do you like it so far?_

_Please, let me know anyway ^^_

_If you're curious about the trial, don't miss next part ^^_

_(*) I admit it, in Italian it was such a easier pun (Loki says 'Gra' and in Italy 'Grazie' means 'Thank you' ; instead he says 'Grandissimo Idiota!' = 'Very big idiot!' XD , but in English I couldn't fight a word with the same sound… until I found this ^^ and it works, because Loki could say for real such an affected and dignified word :P :_

**Webster's 1913 Dictionary**

**Definition:**

\Thew"y\, a.

Having strong or large thews or muscles; muscular; sinewy;

strong.


	2. I: The verdict

_Hello, I'm back!_

_waaaah! I'm stunned. O.O Thank you so so so so much for your reviews, or only for putting this in your favourite or alert, it means A LOT to me._

_since you're not logged in:_

_- Anon: awww thank you so much, dear. You're just too kind. Here's more ^^_

_still without a beta.. I guess I'll never find one, LOL. Sorry for my mistakes (I swear I always re-read, but I always miss something :/)_

Chapter I: The Verdict

The two gods head towards the throne, where there's Odin, standing strict and solemn.

Frigg reaches her consort, while Thor leaves Loki in the middle of the room.

Tons of guards are watching over the whole room perimeter.

The god of Thunder gives the Tesseract to two trustful guards who took them to a safe and impregnable place; and then walks towards the steps of the throne, standing on the left, next to his mother.

There isn't anyone else, save the royal family and the guards.

"Welcome back, Loki!" the king starts, touched by the vision of his all family finally reunited, but without showing any emotion, just like a lucid and impartial king is supposed to do.

"Well, it's not that I came here very willingly!" the brunet barks back, scornfully.

"Fine. I see that someone else already set your silver tongue free!" the king asserts, glaring lightly at Thor, which bows his head, submissive,

The indictee is slightly amused by that scene.

"Now your fate is going to be established, in the interest of all the Asgardian people!" the all gods' father claims.

"Let's begin with the most remote events, when with deceives and lies you usurped the throne," the old god goes on.

"That was a very good time!" Loki smirks cockily.

"Silence! You, insolent, never forget that you are here at your trial that will establish your future!" Odin admonishes him.

Loki confines himself to nodding with his head, but he doesn't look submissive at all; as he waits for his interlocutor to go on.

"It's undeniable that, in the light of the facts, you did what you did for the good of Asgard, since you tried to defeat our worst enemies; although you soiled your hands with a foul deed, such as an unfair double-cross, in order to succeed. Your motivations were noble, but your methods were not." the king asserts, pausing for a little.

Loki is rather astonished by that response, but he prefers to say nothing.

"About the Destroyer that you sent to Midgard, that was a slanderous and inconsiderate deed." Odin reproaches him. "On the other hand, the town had been evacuated, which means that you created a lot of chaos, piles of rubble, but not any irreparable damage. There are events that are much more devastating than what you did; such as earthquakes, tornados and other natural calamities that overthrow on that realm sort of frequently."

"Father, are you challenging me?" Loki cuts him off, feeling insulted.

Odin's face lights up, Frigg smiles, just like Thor does; and Loki realizes too late what he actually said, cursing himself and his impulsivity.

"You see that as an offence. I see that as a praise." the wise king states.

"There's a different matter about Midgard, which is related to your alliance with the Chitauri and the robbery of the Tesseract. That was a deplorable and wicked deed!" the old god goes on, increasing the authority in his tone.

"The only deplorable thing is that they turned out to be such a shoddy army, those damn good-for-nothing!" Loki grumbles.

"Loki, you're in the presence of the all gods' father, before the verdict, try to behave!" Thor warns him, fearing a sharp reaction from Odin, which can compromise the offender's fate.

But it happens nothing like that; quite the contrary, Odin seems to soften, as he exchanges an understanding look with Frigg.

"After all, we must not forget that you were in a highly vulnerable, emotional distress: you had recently found out that you were adopted and immediately after you fell in the depth of the space. These are things that would put a strain on every single one of us!" he asserts.

"It's useless; I know that you're just trying to sugar the pill! Quit it and condemn me to spend my days in the eternal jails, in the abyss of the realm!" Loki cuts him off, bothered.

He violently dislikes whoever sympathizes with him.

"Don't you dare cut me off!" the king snaps.

"Loki, don't get your father angry and... don't be so pessimistic!" Frigg winks at him with a smirk.

Loki doesn't get the meaning of those words, but he feels that odd heat in his heart once again, as he doesn't even realize that he's smiling back at her.

Thor is not looking at him, nor is Loki searching for the god of Thunder's look.

The first god acts like that because he can't stand the fact that, after so many efforts to take his brother back home; someone is going to take him away from the blond forever; the second god acts like that because he fears to find in Thor's eyes the disdain and the spite towards the brunet and he doesn't want to associate such a horrible look to their last goodbye.

" I, Odin, king of Asgard, all gods' father, hereby condemn you, Loki," Odin pronounce his solemn sentence.

Thor stares at the ground, clenching his fist so hard that he halts his blood circulation; while Loki is like a coiled spring.

He can pretend to be indifferent and disrespectful with everyone else, but the truth is that that sentence is scaring the hell out of him.

"To think about what you did!" the king ends his verdict.

Loki stares at him in pure disbelief.

"Is that all?" the god of Chaos raises his eyebrow, in an interrogative way, wondering if Odin is making fun of him.

That news utterly and pleasantly astonishes Thor, but he prefers to say nothing.

"Let me explain that better. There's a tower that's been built and that's where you will be leaded and isolated. Such a condition will allow you to reflect on your wild actions and figure out what you really want." Odin clarifies. "The sunlight won't be denied to you, nor will the vision of our wonderful lands. You'll have food, you'll receive all the necessary care, but you'll be deprived of your magic!" and saying that the Allfather throws a stream of light that crosses Loki's entire body.

Screaming in pain, the young god collapses on the floor, weakened, as he can't feel that oh-so-pleasant pulsing energy flowing in his veins, which now seem to be drained to him.

"But mostly, no one will be allowed to see you ever again." the king adds.

Once again, Loki feels a sudden tension overwhelming his body. He doesn't appreciate at all that horrible perspective of utter loneliness; while Thor has to resort to all his self-control not to burst screaming in frustration.

"Nobody will; nobody but one person only." Odin informs him, creating a huge suspense again.

Loki doesn't even dare to wish that the all gods' father pronounces that name; because he doesn't think that he deserves such a good luck.

Thor appeals to that last, tiny fragment of hope as hard as he can.

"Thor is the only one who can pay visits to you. Every day, after sunset, because he has to train during the day, in order to forge his spirit!" the king claims.

The god of Mischief skilfully disguises his happiness with a very disappointed grimace, snorting and rolling his eyes; while the god of Thunder, far from disguise his feelings, shows a bright grin with a little yelp of joy.

"Among all us, Thor is the one who knows you better, the only one who you can't deceive so easily!" Odin adds.

"Well, when I told him that you were dead he swallowed it, hook, line and sinker!" Loki chuckles, as he tries to get up and he succeeds, with tons of efforts.

"Hey! Back to those days, I was the one in a highly vulnerable, emotional distress!" Thor snaps, glaring at him.

Frigg stares at them in confusion.

"To swallow hook, line and sinker?" she repeats, frowning.

"It's a Midgardian idiom, mother!" Thor explains.

"Yep. In plain terms, it means that your elder son is such a credulous block!" Loki adds, exchanging an understanding look with Frigg who lets a snicker escape from her mouth.

Thor observes them. Deep inside, he knows that Loki has always been Frigg's favourite son and there's such a special connection between them, which Thor is slightly jealous of; but if it can help to bring his beloved brother close to his family again, Thor can't do anything but bless that connection.

"I must admit that the Midgardian has a funny way to speak!" Loki comments, amused.

"Dear my son, do you miss Midgard?" the woman asks him with melancholic apprehension.

Loki shakes his head negatively, glancing briefly at Thor.

"Nope, my place is not there," he murmurs. "Which doesn't mean that it's here!" he rushes to add, in a crabbed way.

The king leaves his throne and walks closer to the accused god, which means that the trial is over.

Frigg and Thor reach him.

"Listen to me very carefully, Loki. I chose Thor, because I want you to rediscover the affection, the friendship and the strong brotherly bound that there was between you, before finding that unpleasant truth!" the all gods' father confesses.

"You can forget it!" Loki snaps. "Am I still in time to choose the eternal jails?"

"Loki, I'm not joking!" Odin roars.

"Neither am I, indeed!" the young god strikes back, boldly.

"However, I've never said that you had a choice!" Odin makes him notice with an evil smirk. "I want you to be brothers again, because it's not your blood that establishes who you are, and you *are* brothers!" he retorts, as serious as ever.

"Oh, father, I'll try my best to accomplish your wish!" Thor assures, as he can barely contain his jubilation.

"So, tell me, how long will my isolation ... with the exception, last?" Loki wonders, snorting annoyed in Thor's direction.

"Oh, it will last as long as it needs to last, it could last forever! I'll personally figure out when you will be ready to be free, assured that you won't abuse of said freedom to lose yourself once more!" the king asserts.

"How will you know when I'll be ready?" Loki gives him a hard time.

"I will. Period. My son, because no matter how much you protest, this is what you are," Odin comments, mindless of Loki's disappointed grimaces and the hatred in his eyes. "I won't see you for a long time, I guess." and saying that the Allfather hugs him, as Loki tries to break free, reluctant to that gesture, but only partly; because deep inside he's impressed by that, although he'll never admit it.

"Make good use of the opportunity I'm giving you." the king parts from him.

Also Frigg hugs him one last time, and there's no need of words between them.

Thor and Odin exchange an understanding look and, escorted by the royal guards, the god of Thunder gets ready to take Loki outside, in order to head towards what is going to be the brunet's new abode.

"My king, are you sure that this is going to work?" Frigg wonders, letting her consort wrap his arms around her, as they observe Loki being pushed further and further, until he disappears from their visual.

"My dear, don't be doubtful. What I saw today makes me realize that maybe there's still hope!" the old god comforts his wife. "Besides, you should know better than me: there's always a purpose in everything I do!"

TBC

_Hope you'll still like it, but let me know in any case ^^_

_Please, don't be shy, even a quick word can make my day ^^_


	3. II I: The tower

_Hello, I'm back ^^_

_thanks everyone for your amazing support, I'm sooooooo glad you like this story so far :)_

_to the one I can't thank properly since she(he?)'s not logged in:_

_evilblackhole: awww thanks, I'm glad you liked Odin's pause, it was meaningful lol XD_

_sorry, but this chapter is huge, I just had to split in two ..._

_hope you'll have fun ^^_

Chapter II I): The tower

They ere only a few meters from the exit of the Royal Palace, when Thor turns to the guards who are escorting him.

"It's enough; you can go back to my father!" the god of Thunder sentences.

"Are you sure?" one of the guards wonders.

"I am. Absolutely. I'll take him to the tower on my own. I know how to look after him!" Thor assures.

"Look after me? How do you dare? I'm not a damn whelp and you're not my damn wet-nurse!" Loki snaps and feels insulted.

The only answer he receives from Thor is a vigorous tug at his chains, which makes him milder.

"But, Prince..." another guard protests.

"You heard him, didn't you? He doesn't want you, pathetic wastes of skin to get in our way!" Loki hisses, looking at them with superior manner, despite his current state. "You surely don't want to disappoint the soon-to-be king of Asgard, do you? I don't think that it would be a wise move1" he adds, tasting that small victory when he sees the guards leaving.

"I was managing to send them away on my own!" Thor retorts.

"Oh, please, let me disagree, dialectic has never been your strong point!" Loki giggles.

"Sure, I would have appreciated that more if you hadn't made the whole 'soon-to-be king' speech with such a scorn!" Thor grumbles, a little insulted.

"Are you the soon-to-be king of Asgard or not?" Loki cuts him off, abruptly.

"Yes, but..."

"End of the speech." the other asserts coldly, as they reach the exit.

Once he's outside, Loki breaths the air with full lungs, because now it seems that even the air tastes different.

The breaths that he took before the trial were the ones of a condemned person, totally resigned; now they're still the breaths of a condemned person, but with a hope.

The problem is that Loki hasn't managed yet to figure out what this hope is: to find a way to escape? Make that imprisonment end as soon as possible? Try an alternative way to get his immense, magic powers back?

His own not very convinced expression makes Loki think that they're not the answers he's looking for.

Thor doesn't give a damn about the air that he's breathing; the most important thing to him is that he left the palace in the same way he entered in: with his brother beside him, still with him, insulting him, boring him, bothering him, making fun about him, vexing him. In a word, making his immortal life much more interesting.

Too bad that said brother is not doing anything like that at the moment.

"Well, what's wrong, don't you talk anymore? Look, there's a kind of long walk to reach the tower. You don't want to keep silent all time long, do you?" the god of Thunder shakes the younger god's mind off.

Loki turns to him, smugly, and then he turns back, with a small, evil sneer on his face.

It seems that he has just found out a way to annoy his interlocutor and it doesn't request much effort, since he has to do absolutely nothing.

They walk through some blocks, before Thor stops himself, out of the blue, tugging Loki who was walking quick.

"We're not even at half way yet! This silence is killing me!" the blond whines.

Loki shows a very pleased smile.

"What does that smile mean? Oh, wait, sure. I've just said that something is killing me. You're always so nice to me!" the other snorts, annoyed; making the brunet's smile enlarge, as he nods vigorously.

"Just... how? You insisted so much before, silently asking me to set you free from the magic gag... and now you don't want to talk with me anymore?" the blond retorts.

"It's one of my binding right to choose not to speak to you for all day long!" Loki points out.

"Ah-ah- You actually spoke to me to say that!" Thor catches him off guard, with a knowing smile.

Loki snorts bothered, while Thor contemplates other possibilities: there's the other side of the coin.

His face lights up in a scary way.

"Okay, little brother, punish me with your silence, if you please; but that doesn't mean that you can't listen to me!" he figures out. "And you know how wordy I can be!" he adds threateningly.

Loki jolts in awe.

Hell yeah, he knows how much Thor can.

"Let's see, where can I start from?" Thor sneers, merciless. "I could tell you once again how I got my Mjolnir; or when I defeated that army of elfins; or when the Pentapalms..."

"No, not the Pentapalms! I give in!" Loki cuts him off, reaching his limit of tolerance.

"Do you want us to talk? Okay, let's talk. You didn't know anything of the Tower that Odin asked to build?" the god of Mischief interrogates him.

"Yeah, he had even talked with me about it, before I went to Midgard, in order to take you back home." the god of Thunder confesses.

"And didn't that make you a little suspicious?" the other goes on with his third degree.

"Well, nope. I didn't associate the two things... I thought it was a new building to embellish Asgard and increase the tourism." Thor justifies.

"Tourism? Here? With the Bifrost temporary unavailable?" Loki makes him notice, sort of annoyed.

"You're right... I should have known better." Thor ponders out loud, while they keep walking.

"Not only is the dialectics, nor the perspicacity is your strong point!" the brunet mutters.

"Oh, c'mon, even you didn't expect such a clement sentence, Mr. I'll-end-up-in-the-eternal-jails... and I don't think that seeing that tower would have given you some clues!" Thor strikes back.

"Touché!" Loki admits. "Well, don't you find it funny?" he adds immediately after, maybe because he needs to change topic.

"What?" Thor questions him with his look.

"I've tried my best for all those years, I've tried to be the most brilliant student, I've learned the most difficult spells, I've always tried to rise to the occasion; but it seems that I just had to try to destroy two realms in order to receive a hug from our father!" Loki states, and despite he tries to disguise it with his never-ending sarcasm, it's evident that there's a hint of upset bitterness in his affirmation.

One second after, he feels himself crushed in Thor's arms who's hugging him from behind.

"No, Loki, don't talk like this!" the blond pleads.

Once again, Loki deals with that unexpected sensation that makes him jolt; that's why he takes a defensive position.

"Get your hands off me and don't you ever dare again to do such a thing!" Loki almost growls, wriggling like an eel.

Thor obliges, letting him go... unwillingly, if he has to be sincere with himself.

"Sorry, it's just that you seemed to need some comfort," the elder god justifies, as he stares at an empty space in the sky.

"I wasn't planning to give you that impression!" the younger god barks back.

"However, you said it again!" Thor makes him notice.

"What?" the other snorts.

"Father!" Thor grins victoriously.

"Okay, maybe that stupid word with no damn meaning has escaped from my lips once or twice today, but it's only because of my weakness... I guess it's a side effect of the jet-lag!" Loki grumbles.

"Jet-lag?" Thor looks at him puzzled. "What is it? A spell that you wanted to cast, is it so?"

"Nope, you number one of all the ignorant people! It's a disorder that the pathetic mortals suffer from whenever they have journeys that made them change their time and habits, which puzzles them a lot. So if those useless, inferior beings make a fuss for such short trips, excuse me if, after crossing *two realms*, I'm a little affected by that!" the brunet justifies.

"I crossed the realms with you and I'm as fresh as new!" the blond strikes back, proudly.

"Well, probably you Asgardian people don't suffer from jet-lag!" Loki shrugs and then he smiles teasingly at him. "You have a brilliant future as hostess!"

"I don't know what a hostess is, but I'm sure that you haven't said anything pleasant to me!" Thor grumbles, offended, as he tugs the other around.

This time is Loki who stops himself and shows Thor his best, fake, wounded look.

"How can you think such horrible things about me?" he performs his most melodramatic scene.

"Shut up!" Thor rages at him.

Loki smirks victoriously. These are the words he was waiting for.

"It's you who wanted me to speak!" the god of Chaos checkmates him, with an amused snicker.

"I repent!" Thor rolls his eyes.

/

Among several bickering of every kind, they keep walking at a cracking pace, and finally they arrive to the tower, a majestic building made of stone that stand out in its impressiveness in the highest spot of Asgard.

"Welcome to you new abode!" Thor sentences, pulling the main door and pushing the brunet inside, where there's a steep, long and tortuous stairway waiting for them.

"See? This is one of those moments I wish I could still have my powers, so I could materialize myself at the top!" Loki comments upset, raising his head and calculating the scary distance.

"C'mon, you, lazy block! A little physical exercise won't kill you!" the soon-to-be king teases him, pushing him towards the first steps.

"Does it mean that you'll slog this way every time you pay a visit to me?" the brunet wonders, climbing the steps and panting gradually.

"Are you joking? From next time I'll just fly with my hammer!" Thor chuckles.

"I hate you!" Loki mutters, but Thor's only answer is a louder laugh.

They reach the top and, as they catch their breath, Loki takes a look around.

There's a bed, a pillow, a table with a lamp, a closed door, where he figures out that there must be the bathroom and another, half-closed door, which makes him see something that he appreciates.

"This is what the human would call a low-quality hotel. And I know it, since I've been in many hotels, while I was on Midgard. They were pleasant places, after all; although I've never figured out what the hell they wanted from me whenever they asked me a tip. For good ... or rather evil measure; I gave them a little shake with my sceptre and, trust me, they didn't bother me anymore after that!" Loki giggles at the memory.

"Loki! Magic is not always the answer!" the blond patiently reproaches him, getting closer, but the brunet walks away, sort of rudely.

"Maybe is not always the answer, but it surely is the most comfortable solution!" the younger god chuckles. "However, those places were much more elegant than this one!" he mutters, heading towards the half closed door, which leads to a balustrade that gives a whole view of Asgard.

"Well, at least, there's a great view!" he comments with a smirk.

"Loki, let me remind you that you're not on holiday! There are the bare essentials, get content with it!" Thor strikes back, brusquely. "Now, come here!" he calls him.

Loki obliges and in a few seconds he saw all his chains fall on the floor, with a tinny noise and he's finally free to move as he wants.

"You don't need these anymore!" Thor smiles at him, as the other massages his aching wrists and ankles.

"Fine. My job is done here." the god of Thunder announces, gathering the chains.

Loki is about to protest with a ghostly 'Already?', but he manages to control himself.

"This was a small but necessary exception to the rules. From now on, I'll come to see you only after sunset!" Thor explains, heading towards the door that leads to the stairs. "Get friendly with this place, brother. You're going to spend a long, long time here! Ah, there's no need to tell you that you shouldn't even try to escape, there's a magic barrier that prevents you from crossing the threshold!" he informs him, with a smirk, before leaving.

He doesn't know if it's because of the way Thor called Loki or what he said to him; but the blond can hear the brunet's scream of frustration even while he's leaving the building.

That does nothing but amuse the god of Flashes.

Once he's alone, Loki walks back and forth around that room with a ridiculous perimeter.

Never, even in his most optimistic expectations, Loki would have expected to be spared in such a way, not after all those serious crimes that he perfectly knows that he's guilty of.

- Probably Odin is losing his grip! – he contemplates, as he goes back to the balustrade; noticing how the whole realm, which was desert before, now is repopulated, bit by bit, surely by Thor's order.

Why should he be so attentive towards him?

- Because, after all the time he has spent with his oh-so-precious mortal friends he softened, that's why!- he thinks enraged, clenching his fists.

He doesn't know why, but the thought of the blond with those stupid humans, who pretend to be pseudo-superheroes, maybe laughing with them of Loki, makes the brunet's blood boil, and he's a Frost Giant, for the record!

- It should be the contrary; he should laugh with me of them. He gushes over the fact that we are brothers every damn minute of every damn hour of every damn day... fine! Why doesn't he act as a proper brother, then?-

And then, unconsciously, Loki's mind drifts back to the feeling of Thor's arm around him, twice in the same day.

- Stupid sentimental!- he thinks, annoyed; or rather he'd like to be annoyed, but truth is that neither the God of Lies can fool himself.

Loki tries to focus on something else, but the problem is that there's not anything else to do.

The only options are undo and do the bed until he gets a breakdown switch on and off the lamp until it burns out.

The god of Mischief wonders why there's such a primitive thing as a Midgardian lamp with batteries.

Evidently, to give Loki something more sophisticated, maybe even magic, would have been dangerous and self-defeating.

- Well, deep inside, maybe the old god still knows what he's about! – he realises with an amused smirk, after all.

At least, Loki is sort of grateful to Odin for not giving him one of those rudimental tools that the Midgardian people call watches, otherwise he would have find himself staring at the sipped, slow flow of the minutes and hours hands all day long, and that would have seemed even more endless to him.

Loki really doesn't understand why the humans are so obsessed by the time and want to check it.

Probably it's because he's an immortal god, time is the last of his problems.

(End I)

_more fun and more tender brotherly moments in second part... and much more! ;)_

_hope you'll still like it, please let me know anyway ^^_

_a big hug_!


	4. II II: The tower

_Hellooooo, I'm back!_

_Thanks to everyone, also to the ones who put it in their favorite or alerts, it means a lot to me ^^ _

_to_

_Evilblackhole : waaaaah are you writing a Thoki story too? waaaaa, I'm so curios, get an account soon and let me know ^^ Aww, I'm so glad you liked the interactions between them, there are a lot in this part ^^_

_to_

_Wing of Darkness: awww , a new reader, so happy! Yep, it's going to be Thoki… but give me time, will you be patient ? ^^ Hope you'll like this part as well_

_still without any beta… I hope in some after-beta's intervention to correct my horrible mistakes XD_

_okay, have a nice (and funny maybe?) reading:_

II. II

Loki observes the balustrade and think about the dizzy height that separates him from the freedom.

This reminds him to one of the Misgardian fables that Frigg used to tell them when they were children.

The fable talked about a beautiful girl who an evil witch kept trapped in a tower, but one fine day the girl had met a prince, who managed to reach her, climbing on her very long plait.

Back to those days, Thor used to interrupt their mother, thrilled, enumerating all the thousands way he would have liked to kill the evil witch; but Loki preferred concentrating more on the princess' feelings, picturing how horrible that captivity could be.

Whoever said that one day he would have a similar fate?

As he recalls those memories, as lovely and pleasant as far and fugitive; he passes a hand though his jet-black hair, rolling up a lock between his fingers.

- Too bad my hair is too short; plus no one would come and rescue me!- he ponders and bursts out laughing a second later, because of such a stupid, childish thought.

But that cheerful atmosphere can't last for long, because other thoughts assault his mind. And they're not gladdening thoughts.

That loneliness is deleterious.

As long as he was on Midgard, he just had his plan of conquer in his mind, there was always something to do, some subterfuge to find, some people to trick, some goal to destroy.

But now those memories of what he has done overwhelm him, clear and merciless, making the trickster have doubts that he didn't even remotely imagine to have.

For the very first time, as he wraps his hands around his temples, victim of the anguish, Loki realises how efficient Odin's punishment is.

The worst thing he's that Loki is not even tortured, as he expected; so he can't even rely on physical pain that can blind his mind. No way, his mind is more that free to recall, ponder, figure out and understand.

He thinks about how many children he probably has left orphan.

- Well, if they had a father like mine, and I mean both my real father and the adoptive one; I've just done a favour to them!- he ponders, clinging on this conviction.

Loki smiles. It looks like he has found a way to spend the time: to resist to that base guilty sense that wants to get the better of him; because he's the god of Chaos, he can't give in, never ever.

/

Loki wakes up, without even realising that he had fallen asleep, as soon as he hears someone knocking at his door.

Evidently, that resistance took all his energies away and this is the result.

As he rubs his face, the god of Mischief gets up lazily from the bed, turning the light on, since it's sunset, finally.

He walks towards the door.

He has no doubt about whoever can be.

"Hey, little brother!" Thor cheers, crossing the threshold without many ceremonies, putting on the bed all the stuff that he has brought.

Loki stares at the threshold and slowly he brings the tip of his index closer to it; but when he try to cross the air he immediately feels a painful shake, which makes him withdraw his now lightly wounded finger.

"I had warned you!" Thor chuckles.

"I wanted to experience that on my own!" Loki snorts, recovering and getting closer to the blond.

"Here's your dinner!" Thor says, handing to him something wrapped in a napkin and putting the jug of water on the table, near the lamp.

"Bread and water? What? Are you afraid I could regain m strength way too much?" the brunet grumbles, unfolding the napkin.

"You know that it's not up to me... at least you won't starve!" Thor strikes back.

"However, I'm not hungry. You can take it all away; you can go away as well!" Loki snaps, scornful.

"No way! Now you and I will have a nice, long chat!" Thor announces, sitting on the bed and inviting him to mirror his actions.

Although very reluctant, Loki obliges.

"So, how did you spend your day here?" Thor asks him.

"These are none of your business!" the younger god hisses. "What about you? Did you do your precious training?" he asks him ironically immediately after.

"Oh yeah, I did. Sif, Fandral and the others have done nothing but asking me about you all day long!" the elder god informs him.

"Really? And what did they say?"

"These are none of your business!" Thor quotes him on purpose, with an almost sadistic grin.

"Well done, Thor, very smart!" Loki snorts. "But I won't tell you anything about my day anyway! Let's just say that it's over!"

"So tell me what you think of this tower, do you like it?" the blond finds another topic of conversation, since he's very stubborn.

"Well, you know, that loony millionaire's Stark Tower was so much better! As a matter of fact, I have designed it as the place of my triumph!" the brunet comments.

"Are you telling me that you would rather stay with him, at Midgard?" the brother wonders, upset.

"I'd rather die! I meant that I just wanted his tower, that's what I call high technology!" Loki points out, with immediate Thor's relief; but the other notices that.

"Hey, but... are you jealous, *brother*?" he teases him, lingering sarcastically on the last word.

"Don't be stupid!" Thor snaps, but blushes and looks away.

To Loki that's a little victory.

"I would never ever want to stay with that pompous, arrogant swellhead with an incorruptible heart!" he adds.

"What did you say?" Thor turns to him again.

"Never mind!" Loki waves his hand, annoyed. "The guy who was obsessed with his arrows was much funnier, sure... when he was not busy whining about his mewling quim!" he rolls his eyes at the memory.

"They all have a name, you know?" the blond makes him notice.

"Why should I bother remembering all their names? Especially the swellhead's name; since he did nothing but filling me with stupid, hateful nicknames!" the brunet grumbles.

"Really? Which ones?" his interlocutor asks him curiously.

"It happened when you hadn't come yet; first he called me something like 'Reindeer' and then 'Rock of Ages giving up so easily'... it's stuff that you hardly forget!" he gnashes his teeth, even more when he hears Thor chuckling.

"Oh, c'mon, Reindeer is so cute!" the blond.

"I don't want to be cute!" Loki protests, stamping his feet.

- This way you're only more adorable!- the god of Thunder ponders, as he tries to force himself to quit staring at him, before Loki notices that.

"Guess what? Hawkeye told me that Captain America told him that Tony told him that he called you even... full-tilt Diva!" Thor informs him, with a snicker.

Loki springs to his feet and runs to the balustrade.

"That infamous, all tin and no brain! How did he dare? Insulting me, the mighty, unparalleled, unique and excellent god of Mischief? Vile, terrestrial midge! I'm going to beat him to a pulp, I'm going to come out of this tower and unbolt his armour, I'll deactivate all his damn bracelets and then I'll throw him out of the damn tower, once for all!" he snaps enraged, but Thor calms him down and keeps him still.

"Be quiet. Right now you'll just smash yourself on the ground and you would be the only midge in question!" he makes him desist, taking him back to the bed.

"I have no idea about how Tony could have called you a Diva!" he adds, with evident irony, earning an elbow of Loki's in his stomach.

"Cool down! You know, that's the way Tony is! You know, he had a lot of nicknames for me, too." Thor confesses.

"Really?" Loki smiles, more temperate.

Not only Thor reveals them, but he tells his some funny anecdotes about his living together with the other Avengers; and Loki listens to him, laughing with Thor of some awkward situations that the terrestrial Avengers were in.

It's just like Loki wished it to be; he's glad to finally see Thor acting like a proper brother; but obviously he will never tell him.

"Coming back to the Rock of Ages issue... well you could turn it into reality. You know, on Midgard there are those strange, very noisy things ... I guess they're called electric guitars or something... " Thor comments.

"Are they lethal weapons?" Loki asks him thrilled.

Thor bursts out laughing.

"Now *who*'s the number one of all the ignorant people?" he retorts. "Well, if you play it horribly, trust me, it can become a lethal weapon for whoever listens to it! An electric guitar is a music instrument, but it's very different from our harps, violins and flutes!" he giggles. "The point is that you could practise and learn how to play that instrument. After all, this tower is acoustically isolated. And it looks like you'll have a lot of time to spend here!" the blond reminds to him, pungently, but it's another the issue that has caught Loki's whole attention.

"Are you telling me that I can make some requests?" he stares at the blond, with enthusiasm sparkling in his emerald eyes.

"Yeah, I guess you can, but with time... and only if you ... how can I say it? If you score for good behaviour!" the other explains.

Loki is even more thrilled than before, but Thor anticipates him.

"Obviously, my dear little brother, it seems pretty easy to guess that you can't ask for anything magic... so forget about runes, spelling books and stuff like that!" he sentences impassable.

"Obviously!" Loki mutters with a snort, crossing his arms against his chest.

"Now, let's get up, it's time for you to have a bath!" Thor informs him, getting up as well.

"Excuse me?"

"Oh, c'mon, you must be sick of wearing your battle outfit! I brought new clothes for you, clean and more comfortable clothes!" Thor goes on, showing him one of his old black outfits, folded carefully on the edge of the bed.

"Well, after all, I wouldn't mind changing my clothes." Loki admits.

"That's very good. So let's go on then!" Thor declares, walking towards the bathroom.

"What the hell does it mean 'let's go on'? What are you exactly planning to do to me?" the younger god starts to agitate.

"It looks more than evident to me; I'm going to take care of you!" the elder god asserts. "You're still a prince, after all, and no prince in all Asgard has ever had a bath on his own!"

"Are you kidding me, right?" the other stares at him very diffidently.

"Oh, c'mon, if I were a handmaid you wouldn't make a fuss!" the blond snorts.

"That's true; but the point is that you are *not* a handmaid. There's no damn way that I'm going to let my brother see me naked!" Loki is scandalized.

"But we are *not* brothers!" Thor points out, sagaciously.

Loki stares at him dumbfounded.

"Hey, wait a minute. When exactly did you and I switch roles?" he wonders, finding that situation ironic, somewhat.

"Since when I want to make you have a bath! I can have a bath with you, if you prefer!" Thor suggests.

Loki's eyes go huge.

"What? Are you nuts?"

"Oh, c'mon! We always had baths together when we were children!"the elder brother justifies.

"That's the key word, Thor. When we were *children*!" the younger brother tries to make him reasoning.

The blond shows him a challenge grin.

"Well, if you want, we can put rubber ducks in the water to recall the good old memories!"

"Fuck you!" Loki hisses.

Thor burst out laughing out loud.

"Hey, little brother, mind your language! Where's your bon ton?"

"I left it on Midgard!" the other strikes back, cuttingly; and he emphasizes that sentence, showing him his middle finger, before gathering the clothes and going to the bathroom, locking the door, for good measure.

Thor smiles amused. After all, Loki has spent the biggest part of his Midgard journey in New York, no wonder if he learned a thing or two from those people!

However, Thor has given a hard time to Loki on purpose, knowing very well how bashful he is about that matter; but truth is that Thor wouldn't mind at all to see what Loki hides under his pompous clothes.

- I bet that there's a marvellous body, with a perfect balance between grace and tonicity!-

Since he found out, with immense relief, that Loki was still alive; Thor has begun to have wilder and wilder fantasies involving the one who he has always considered his brother; but the most astonishing thing is that Thor is not even remotely ashamed of that.

But the awareness that Loki is behind a thin door, and he's about to take all his dresses off, is not helping the mighty god of Thunder's self-control.

Behind said thin door; Loki has already got free from his outfit, dipping into the warm water, embellished by bath salts.

He abandons himself to a complete relax, as he recalls their last bantering.

The prospect of having a bath with Thor is disquieting, immoral, wicked.

- And extremely exciting!- he admits to himself.

He passes a hand around his neck, imaging that it's the blond's hand that is caressing him with tenderness and impetuosity at the same time.

Loki moans softly, closing his eyes, to picture himself better in that situation.

His hand flows on his chest, slightly sculpted, and then it skims his abs his stomach and goes on with its mischievous descent.

TBC

_Hope you'll still like it. Pretty pleeeeeeease, let me know, even with a word, really!_

_see ya soon ^^_


	5. III I: Mutual desire, cake and chats

_Hellooooo!_

_I'm astonished *O* you're so marvelous… you make me cry (happily), girls! *hugs them all*_

_to 1weirdginger: waaahhh, a new reader, so so happy! You're so kind! Oops, sorry, I didn't mean to make you explode XD_

_To evilblackhole: waaaaaah, do you really think so? You know OOC is my biggest fear, so thank youuuuuu *grins* p.s. Let me know when you'll write your Thoki ^^_

_to everyone: still without a beta, so sorry for my errors/horrors XD._

_**A little note:** I forgot the Disclaimer of last chapter, but, obviously, the mentioned fable was 'Rapunzel'. I hypothesized that Frigg could know about Midgardian fables, I mean… how boring would be to hear just and only Odin babbling about his battles? XD_

_**A little question**: I was wondering... I keep splitting my chapter in two parts, but would you prefer to read them whole? If you do it will take me longer to update, because I have to translate them all at once... and they're sort of long (around 4-5000 words XD ), plus, maybe it's too tiring for you reading a whole chapter in one shot... well, just tell me what you would prefer... please ^^_

**Chapter III I : Mutual desire, cake and chats**

Loki's hand begins to touch the tip of his virility that is awakening; mostly because, shutting his eyes, Loki is imagining that it's someone else doing this, that it's someone else's the hand that is exploring him so impudently.

It's the hand that belongs to a certain blond, mighty, worthy and gorgeous god of Thunder.

"Mm…" he murmurs, as he increases the pace of his actions, rocked by the splashing of the water that he keeps moving.

He alternates soft caresses, almost hesitant, to ruder grips, as he increases his own pleasure.

Among those heady feelings, the overwhelming warmness of the water and its hypnotizing slosh; to Loki is impossible not to abandon himself to that oh so sweet oblivion, so much that he even forgets that not so irrelevant fact that he is not alone.

"Thoor…" he murmurs softly, enlarging his smile.

Thor keeps his eyes glued to the door, with one thought only in his mind.

- On the other side, there's Loki naked. Majestically naked. Outrageously naked. Nakedly naked!- he repeats to himself, unable to think properly; before feeling a sudden bulge in his pants.

-Oh no, it's happening again!-

It's not the first time that it happens, of course. Quite the contrary, when he was far away from indiscreet eyes, even during his permanence on Midgard, with the other Avengers; Thor has abandoned himself to pervert fantasies that always had the same protagonist: a certain brunet, mesmerizing, god of Mischief with a dark allure.

The difference is that he has never found himself in such an awkward situation with only a fragile and thin door, at least that's the way he judges that door; which is separating him from the main responsible of his mental and physical conditions.

Thor lets a hand slip inside his pants, assuring himself that things are degenerating, with increasing anguish.

- If only it was Loki the one who satisfies my urgent needs!- Thor ponders, as he tries to cool himself down.

-This is not good, damn! I can't let it go, not now, not here! Loki could go out at any minute!- he reminds to himself, trying to calm down and placing the Mjolnir on his groin to cover that lump that is getting more and more evident.

- No, no, no, Thor! You must focalize in something else. Think that there's a Chitaurus in the tube... a digusting, naked Chitaurus, eeeeww! – Thor summons himself, but no matter how hard he tries, in his mind the horrible shapes of that repulsing creature turns into the stunning god of Chaos' graceful and sinuous, inviting curves.

"Mm... Thooooooooor." Loki murmurs again, a little louder this time, throwing his head back, utter slave of pleasure.

Thor is so engrossed thinking about him that it seems to the blond that he can even hear him.

"Thoooor!"

Nope. Thor didn't imagine that. Loki is really calling his name.

Loki is too lost in his personal realm of euphoric delight to realize that he's not screaming that name just in his mind.

"THOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRR!" he shouts when he reaches the apex.

"Loki? What's wrong? Are you feeling ill?" Thor asks him out loud, from the other side, as he tries to recover; which brings the younger god back to reality.

- Oh no! What have I done? He heard me!- Loki jolts; and this time there's no magic that can save him.

"Loki? Why don't you answer? You're sick for real, then!" Thor agitates.

"Actually, I've never felt better!" escapes from Loki's mouth; since he has not fully recovered yet, mostly when he starts to feel the result of his previous actions towards himself wetting one of his pale thighs.

"So why were you screaming?" the blond interrogates him.

"It was a test. To see if you have any sort of quickness of reflex. It seems so." the brunet replies with fake scorn, finding a convincing excuse.

At least, that's what he thinks.

"I don't believe you. I'm going to come in!" Thor informs him.

-Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!- Loki curses in his mind.

It's another of the typical exclamations he has learned on Midgard and he finds it liberating in that occasion.

Speaking of release, it's another the main problem that he has to solve.

- He can't see me like that! And he'll notice that in the water... –

"For Odin's sake! Thor, please, don't open that... "

It's too late.

The heavy door falls down in all its wholeness, with a deafening boom, thanks to a vigorous Thor's push with his shoulder; while he rushes inside the room.

With a split-second action, urged by desperation, Loki has managed to grab his used clothes and come back into the tub, covering that incriminated zone as he concludes his release.

Thor runs towards him, but immediately stops when he realises that there's no danger, except the danger for the already faint balance of his mind of seeing Loki almost utterly naked, save for those rolled clothes on a certain zone of his.

"I've doored the smash down!" the god of Thunder babbles incoherently, unable to take his eyes off him, envying with all his being the way of the drops of water that drips down from Loki's jet-black hair, tracing his body and disappearing in spots that are hidden from the blond's greedy look.

"What did you say?" the god of Chaos stares at him puzzled, but the thing he notices mostly is the tension that does nothing but set off the muscles that Thor hides under his clothes.

Besides, that night Thor decided to wear Midgardian clothes, more comfortable, maybe because he's free from any high-social constriction when he's at the royal palace. That night Thor wears a grey pearl shirt, slightly unbuttoned.

Deep inside, at the very end, Loki is somewhat grateful to Odin to take his powers off; because he's slave of his hormones right now so much that probably he would have used his powers to take Thor's clothes off him.

Sure, he could do that on his own, if only he wasn't so engrossed remaining inside the tub and pressing the soaked clothes against his lap, in order to hide a certain reaction of his body that after seeing Thor like that is ready for an encore.

"I meant… I've smashed the door down!" Thor corrects himself, trying to regain at least the ability of formulating sentences with a logical sense; as he assures himself that the Mjolnir is still placed between his legs.

"I've already noticed that on my own, you, nothing but primitive bumpkin! I had told you there was no danger, but you always have to do everything your own way!" Loki snorts, splashing him abundantly with the water; but that does nothing but make that fabric even more transparent.

That 'now I see-now I don't' is driving Loki crazy.

- Why isn't there any green and angry Hulk who smashes me here and there when I need it?- the brunet rolls his eyes, distressed.

"Well, there could have been a danger!" Thor insists.

"Okay, good for you, then. You proved yourselves to be a brilliant bodyguard... or whatever your role in this whole matter is!" Loki snaps.

- You could have such good role in my bed! - the brunet loses himself in his wicked fantasies again.

"Well, well; since I'm already here..." the blond comments with a sly smile, getting closer and kneeling in front of the bathtub.

No matter how much Loki adores seeing people kneeling in front of him and no matter how many times he daydreamed about seeing just his beloved/hated brother/no-brother do that; that is undoubtedly the less proper moment.

- May you be damned, Thor!- Loki thinks, as he feels the umpteenth painful, but also pleasant pang crossing his body.

Thor is already cursing himself on his own, because of the smart idea he had: that closeness and that uncomfortable position are making things very hard to him.

Once again, Thor assures himself that his powerful hammer is still pressed against his lap.

"What are you exactly planning to do?" the god of Mischief asks him, exasperated, and then he notices where the glorious Mjolnir is placed. "Look, you risk giving your family jewels a hard blow!" he makes fun of him, holding on his unfailing, cynical sarcasm, not to think about anything else.

- Well, I admit that a hard blow on my groins would really help right now!- Thor ponders, before reminding to himself the main goal of his reckless actions.

- Shut up, what about the not-so-glorious ending your clothes are meeting, after fighting in such a memorable battle? - Loki reminds to himself. –Hey, wait a minute. Since when do I have a conscience and why is it turning against me? – he wonders in awe, before noticing that Thor has already gripped the sponge and he's getting dangerously closer to him.

"Okay, I guess that now I can help you have a bath for real!" the blond sneers, ready to soap the brunet.

Loki softens his look, while his expression turns from annoyed to smiling and winking. He leans closer to Thor, caressing the hand that is holding the sponge, taking it away from him, delicately, as his other hand wraps around the blond's nape.

"Thor..." he murmurs to his ear, languid.

"Yes, Loki?" the god of Thunder moans, panting.

In a fraction of second, Thor realises that the previous light scratch on his nape turned into an attempt of strangling him, while he has the soapy sponge shoved hard into his mouth.

"Mmpph.. " he tries to protests, spitting the sponge out and parting from Loki; which, although he's a Frost Giant, is glaring at him with fire in his eyes.

"I'm already done with my bath, now... GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE; YOU, DAMN, PERVERT, VOYEUR!" he yells, so loudly that, although it's sound-proof, his voice echoes all around the tower.

Finally Loki gets what he wants.

Coughing some little soap bubbles, Thor runs away from the bathroom and waits for the younger god in the main room.

Once he's alone, Loki gets off the bathtub and dresses up.

He's sure that what has just happened is only another attempt by the soon-to-be king of Asgard to humiliate him.

-There cannot be any other sort of interest from him!- he establishes, categorically.

As soon as he leaves the bathroom, he finds Thor waiting for him with a towel in his hands. He throws it on his head and promptly rubs it, lovingly, ignoring the other god's half-chocked complains.

"Are you going to quit it, right here, right now?" Loki growls, finding a gap in the towel and surfacing again, as the blond goes on with his activity.

"Never, ever, little brother! It's not wise to hang around with wet hair for too long; I don't want you to catch a flu!" the blond justifies, trapping inside the towel even the most rebel locks that tries to escape from his caring attentions.

"Oh, you're right, if I'm sick, I'll need a lot of rest and won't be able to get out for a while!" Loki strikes back ironically, rolling his eyes.

"This is not fair!" Thor asserts.

"Huh?"

"You'll be allowed to whine like this when you spend a lot of time here; but this is only your very first day, so shut up and let me do what I'm doing!" the blond retorts, making the brunet smile.

About ten minutes after, Thor decided that he has rubbed Loki's head enough and takes the towel off, drawing out from the pocket of his shirt something that makes Loki smiles for the second time.

"Do you always hang around with a comb?" he asks him with an amused snicker.

"Hey! This splendid stuff require a lot of attentions!" the elder god replies, swishing his hair as if he had just come out from a shampoo commercial... which it's something that he must have seen a lot during his trips on Midgard.

Loki lets his brother comb his hair; at least this is something less compromising than the previous experience in the bathtub.

"By the way, when I'm back tomorrow, I'll take something to fix the door... " Thor informs him, tuned on Loki's same frequency of thoughts, probably.

"Well, I'll see if I manage to fix it on my own; so tomorrow, in the morning, I'll have something to do!" Loki smirks.

-After bringing my glorious clothes back to a decent aspect! – he takes a mental note.

"However, Loki, you should eat something." Thor changes topic, as he finish disentangling his hair.

"Nope, I don't want to. You can take everything away and you should go away, as well!" Loki barks, coldly.

"I'll let you win, but only half battle," Thor informs him. "I'm leaving, but I leave the food and the water here and I already know that tomorrow, when I'm back, I'll find only the crumbs!" the god of Thunder adds with self-confidence, before gathering all the other stuff and leaving.

Loki watches that door close up, bringing him back to his kingdom of loneliness.

(End I)

Okay, so far it was only the 'Mutual desire', you'll find the 'cake and chats' in next part ^^.

By the way, since I still have to write the new chapter of 'Tricked Thunder' but I have this one ready, I guess that I'll update this one first .

Hope you'll still like it and have fun, don't be shy, let me know in any case ^^

huge hugs!

**Important**: I know about the FanFictionNet issua about deleting all the stories with too much sexy scenes :(... if unfortunately, my stories would be removed you'll can find them on my live-journal :

hyper-bliss. livejournal tag/ loki%20and%20thor


	6. III II: Mutual desire, cake and chats

_Hello, I'm back ^_

_Thank you all._

_to EvilBlackHole: waah I'm so curios about your Thoki, dear, let me know ^^ I'm glad you like the bathroom scene ^^_

_to 1weirdginger: oh my gods!*blushes, blushes and blushes again* … you're way too kind, dear, but.. please take it back, there are plenty of wonderful , amazing, marvelous Thoki stories around, I love lots of them ^^ hope you'll like even this part _

_Betaed chapter: thanks to the lovely Charles_S_Bridge ! 3_

_happy reading to everyone!_

Chapter III II: Mutual desire, cake and chats.

Loki is lying on a bed, enjoying the pleasant sensation of clean and summoning himself to rest. That's why he turns the light off.

He tries to sleep, but there's something that prevents him from doing that: his stomach grumbles.

He knows that it would be enough just to stretch his arm towards the table, but he also knows that he has a very stubborn pride and he doesn't want to betray it.

Time goes on and his hunger begins to be unbearable; Loki curses himself for not eating anything , not even before the day of the glorious battle, in order not to distract his brilliant mind with useless stuff as food.

- Congratulations, God of Starving , that was a great idea! – Loki reproaches himself, totally unwilling to sleep.

- All I gained from that was a drink offered by that pompous, arrogant millionaire. And it was even watered-down! At least, they got eating that odd stuff after the battle and they didn't give me not even a bit! – Loki recalls, but thinking about food is not helping him at all.

He has to reach a compromise with his pride.

He sits on the bed, turns the light up and grabs a roll of bread.

He tests its consistency, observes it and smells it. It's pleasant to every of his senses.

He bites into that crisp, fragrant and tasteful and it seems the most delicious thing to him.

"Stupid, damn Thor!" he grumbles as he devours the rest and does the same with the second roll of bread, gulping down some pure and fresh water.

It surely is not the king of the meals, but it's enough to make Loki resume sleeping, without any more trouble.

/

Thor walks along the long corridors that lead to the royal rooms.

"Did you want to see me, mother?" he asks, entering into the queen's room, while she sits in the armchair.

"Yes, my dear; here we can talk freely. Your father is on a meeting with his councilors and I think it will make him busy for a while." the woman informs him, inviting him to come closer.

"Do you prefer that father doesn't know about our meeting?"

"Yep, definitely, because if I had to respect his will, I shouldn't even talk about this!" the queen reveals, with an exasperated attitude.

"It's about Loki, isn't it?" Thor figures out.

Frigg nods.

"Please, my dear, tell me how things went." the woman exhorts him and Thor obliges; making sure to leave out some details that don't exactly belong to the 'brotherly' category.

"Odin knew that with you Loki would have been in good hands!" the queen smiles, at the end of his report. "And, tell me, did he eat?" she asks apprehensively, as only a mother can do.

"I've tried to make him eat, but he didn't want to. But I left the bread and the water to him." Thor informs her.

Frigg gets up from the armchair, abruptly.

"Bread? Wasn't there anything else?" she gets angry.

"These are the given dispositions." Thor justifies.

"From whom?" the bothered woman questions him.

"You know the answer better than me." her son replies.

"Yeah, of course, my dear husband!" she rolls her eyes. "He can prevent me from seeing my son; I understand it if it's for his own good; but he can't force me to starve him, I'll never agree!" she rambles, mad at someone who is not even in that room.

"You agree with me, don't you?" she asks her son, with a calmer tone.

"To be honest, I'd rather see Loki not so shrunken!" Thor murmurs.

"Today, before going to the tower, when you head to the kitchen, you'll find something proper." his mother informs him.

"What?"

"His favorite cake. He needs some strength!" the woman winks at him.

"But father always check the kitchen; how will you do that?" Thor points out.

The queen smirks in a disquieting way.

"Oh, you're going to help me!"

"Just how? I don't even know how to start to cook something!" her son agitates.

"Oh, my darling, please, don't be silly. I'll think about the kitchen; you'll have to distract your father. It's an easy task, you'll just have to ask him to give you the speech about all your responsibilities, once you become a king. This will give me time to be in the kitchen!" Frigg explains.

"That's brilliant!" Thor approves.

"Thank you, honey. You know, your father asserts that a queen should never bother herself with, you know, high social issues, but I had never thought so. However, if I can't cook on my own, I'll surely supervise every phase of the process!" she states with conviction. "So, you'll do as I ask, won't you?" she wonders.

"Count on me" the soon-to-be king guarantees.

- I would do everything for Loki!-

/

"Thor! It's already the third time that I hit you behind your back. Usually you're way more alert, my good friend!" Fandral comments, drawing back his sword, ready for the next blow.

"I know, let's say that I'm just back from a long, very long conversation with my father; so I'm a little worn out after that!" Thor confesses, ready to attack him.

"This is not a real excuse not to remain concentrated!" Hogun strikes back, launching himself on the god of Thunder, before the blond easily beats him down.

"As a matter of fact, I *am* concentrated!" the blond sneers at his friend; and then he turns his look far away, but two careful eyes notice that.

"However, you always find the time to look at that tower!" Sif observes, a little scornfully.

"What's the matter, Thor? Are you afraid that he can escape?" Volstagg chuckles.

"I still don't understand how the Allfather could have been so clement with such a barbaric, atrocious criminal!" Fandral asserts, deeply disappointed.

"Yeah, he should rot in the eternal jails in the abyss!" Volstagg comes to his aid.

"Shut up!" Thor summons them. "Let me remind you that it' my brother who you're talking about!"

"Nope, he's not …"

"Sif, you'd better not finish that sentence!" her incoming king warns her.

The warrior girl faces his look bravely, reading something inside it; but preferring not to say anything and then she bows her head in submission, hitting her chest with her fist.

"Forgive me, Thor!" she says with ghostly voice.

"It's almost sunset; I'd better go. You can keep training without me. See you tomorrow, my friends!" the blond prince waves his hand, leaving.

Sif watches him go.

- I understand you, my soon to be king; I know what it feels like to languish for someone who doesn't return your love!-she ponders, a little upset.

************************************ (In the meantime)

It's almost sunset, Loki can feel it, grateful that even for that day the hateful isolation is almost over.

Out of the blue, the wind outside blows a feather in his direction. It's a multi-colored feather that probably belongs to some typical bird of their realm; it crosses the balustrade and lands gracefully on the floor, close

to the prince's feet.

Loki collects it and places it on the middle of the table, sitting on the bed and staring at it intently.

-It's time to find out if Ireally lost all my powers- he reflects, gathering all the meant energy he can.

This is the right object to test the most banal of the spells of levitation, since it's small and light.

Loki stares at it, silently ordering it to lift, but nothing happens.

Loki tries again, with even more concentration, clenching his fists and closing his eyes.

Another epic failure.

He tries to stretch a hand to the feather and move it above, as if he was the director of an orchestra and the feather was the orchestra, indeed.

Finally, he sees it floating in the air and smiles pleased.

"Little brother, not to disenchant you, but it's very easy to make that feather move if you blow upon it!" Thor exclaims, behind his back, emphasizing the whole thing blowing on the feather once more, before sitting next to him.

Loki was so concentrated in his practicing that he didn't even notice the blond's presence behind his back.

"How long have you been here?" the god of Mischief asks him, pissed off.

"For at least ten minutes, observing you torturing that poor feather!" the god of Thunder chuckles.

"How did you get in?"

"The door was open." Thor justifies himself. "And I see that you managed to fix even the bathroom's door on your own!"

"It wasn't a hard job, you had just taken it off his hinges… you're losing your mighty strength, *brother*! Loki teases.

"What the hell were you trying to do?" Thor interrogates him.

"Let me remind you that I was not born with my magic powers; but I earned them , developing them bit by bit, with a lot of study and exercises. *Your* father may take them off me, but I can start it all over again and time is my ally!" Loki sneers fiercely, getting up from the bed.

"Nope, you can't if the room is magic-proof, even the smallest, most innocent magic!" Thor informs him. "See? *Our* father is clever and cautious!"

"There are always counter-spells and I'm going to find one!" the brunet swears.

"You never give in, don't you?" the blond shakes his head, amused.

"Did you mistake me for the god of Surrender?" the other barks back.

"C'mon, don't think about it. Guess what? I have something that will cheer you up!" Thor smiles at him, removing proudly the napkin that hides Loki´s dinner.

Loki's face lights up at that view.

"The Yggdrasil Cake!" the younger prince exclaims, happy like a child, as he observes that complicated thing, made by a tree-shaped cake with nine smaller cakes, each one with different size and colors, that symbolize the nine realms.

"A certain someone we both know thinks that you need to regain your strength … and I think so, too." the elder prince winks, handing the cake to him.

"Mother did this, didn't she?" Loki figures out and Thor nods.

"You know, the last time she ordered to cook this cake was just when I became the new king!" the brunet informs him with a smirk.

"Alright, so I was on Midgard, working hard to prove my value and you were here, gorging cheerfully?" Thor retorts, pretending to be insulted.

"Yeah, pretty much, in your face!" Loki giggles, taking a piece of tree and eating it in one shot.

"It's delightful!" he slurs, chomping happily.

"For Odin's sake! You remind me of Volstagg!" Thor bursts out laughing.

"Take it back!" Loki snaps, insulted in his self-respect. "Try to understand… I mean, I haven't eaten properly for days!" he justifies, taking another piece, this time it's the Midgard cake, one of his favorite tastes.

"Do you want some?" he offers, strangely gentle towards him.

"Nope, it's yours!" Thor refuses.

"Well, you can eat Muspellheim, Alfheim, Nifheiam and mostly Jotunheim; you know, its stuffing has always been indigestible to me!" he confesses, making Thor smiles and finally he accepts his offer.

"However, I should be king as well!" Loki retorts, as they're eating. "Okay, I can't have Asgard, since a certain someone already booked the throne!" he says, glaring coldly at Thor. "But at least you could let me rule on Midgard!"

"It wasn't the right way; plus there would be not so much to rule, little brother! In case you didn't notice, you were about to destroy it!" Thor strikes back.

"It's an irrelevant detail!" Loki shrugs.

"Well, you still have Jotunheim, you have some rights to rule there. I wouldn't interfere; as long as you don't declare war on me!" the blond asserts.

"I guess that you would declare war on me, you're always such a hothead!" the brunet strikes back and they both laugh together.

"Anyway, nope, I don't want that useless frozen realm where I come from! Do I have to remind to you how I tried to destroy it?" Loki grumbles.

"Never mind, we're still repairing the Bifrost!" Thor rolls his eyes.

"Well, it's just your fault, since you interfered!" the younger god points out.

"Well, excuse me if, after my return from the exile I have to deal with a mad lunatic who wants to delete a whole realm from the list! Without mentioning that little toy of the Destroyer that you used to try to kill me!" the elder gods recalls bitterly.

"Phew, don't make a fuss! Did you die? No, you didn't." the brunet shrugs. "But it was fun to play with it!" he sneers.

"Yeah, as I suppose that it must have been fun even making me fall into the void, trapped in that damn capsule!" the blond retorts, insulted.

"Oh, please, as if I didn't know that you would have broken free in time! I was just trying to keep you on training!" Loki strikes back, with an innocent look that doesn't fool anyone.

-/

Among chats, quarrels and recalled, old anecdotes; time flies and it's time for Thor to leave.

Once he's alone, loki takes a look around, searching for the proper tools for his plans and he seems to find it.

He sneers evilly, already knowing what to do with that tool.

- Fine, my dear nosey-parker, I'll teach you not to sneak into my room!-

TBC

_I know, there's almost nothing in that room, but it's Loki we are talking about, never forget! XD_

_about the Yggdrasil Cake, since I don't have the slightest idea about what they could eat on Asgard… I simple invented it… plus it seems so yummy, lol!_

_I hope you'll still like it and are curious to know what comes next ^^_

_Well, if I made you smile and you want to make me smile as well, leave a review, even a tiny one can ake my day!_

_kisses and hugs and thanks for reading my crazy stuff ! ^^_


	7. IV I: Nice move

_Hello, people!_

_thank you, thank you so much for being so lovely_

_thanks also to the ones (geez, you're so many, I feel dizzy XD ) who put this to their fave or alert … any chances to … 'hear your voices' sometimes? ;P_

_to Malimalu: oh, you're so kind, thanks. And don't worry, dear, I don't force anyone to read a Thoki if this is not your cup or cake ^^ thanks again_

_sorry for mistakes, as always, later I'll put the corrected chapter, thanks to my beta Charles ^^_

_happy reading ^^_

Chapter IV I: N*ice* Move

Loki postpones every sort of decision until the day after.

The plots, the revenges and the mischief can wait, now he just needs total rest.

After all, he has a full stomach, finally. And besides, all that chatting with Thor have made him tired enough to collapse on the bed, worn out so much that his only concern is to turn the light off.

/

When Loki gets up, the sun is already shining high above in the sky, which makes him figure out that it must be 10:00 or 11:00 a.m.

To sleep until late morning is one of the undoubted advantages of being confined in that tower; but Loki has never been a big sleeper.

- Thor could sleep straight to sunset and he wouldn't even notice this punishment!- he ponders, amused.

– Surely, he wouldn't have disturbed sleep as I have!- he ponders, recalling the terrible nightmares that assailed him, mercilessly; added to the unpleasant memories of his wandering through the space, after letting himself fall from the Bifrost, his meeting with the Chitauri and who commanded them, and then the devastating display of destruction, where Loki has played a massive role.

An involuntary massive role.

His plans were different: the Chitauri would have started the battle, that's true; but only to intimidate the Midgardians and in front of such mighty fighting superiority they would have surrendered, immediately; allowing Loki to become their undisputed king.

A king who would have made his subjects love him, because of the wisdom and the fairness he would have ruled with.

This was his main goal, too bad that he hadn't taken in consideration The Avengers, especially one of them.

- Stupid, sentimental, Asgardian!-

Loki recalls perfectly how Thor had made him figure out what was exactly going on: the devastated buildings, the never-ending explosions, the people who rushed in the streets, utterly panic-stricken, the painful screams and the hysterical crying.

However, rather than show a vague, tiny sign of weakness, the shrewd Jotun had chosen the violent way, injuring, even if lightly , his stepbrother.

This was the same reason why, the night before, when their chatting has reached that topic, Loki has preferred to pretend frivolity and jokes.

And then, the god of Mischief recalls the last word that agent said to him, before he speared him with his scepter. That agent was the umpteenth victim, no matter if innocent or not.

# You lack conviction. #

That sentence echoes in Loki's mind. Back to that day, he hadn't paid attention to those words; but now, as a single but very meaningful tear traces his ethereal cheek, Loki realizes how much that Midgardian was telling the truth.

- I'd never wanted to resort to such extreme measures! – he reflects, upset, getting up and heading to the balustrade, where he can have a full view of the realm.

Sunlight should give him some relief, but it's not like that; quite the contrary, it only makes Loki even more aware that the sunset is still far away.

It's a paradox, but to Loki daylight is made by the darkest hours.

The god of Discord shakes his head violently, as if he wanted to get rid of those bad, anguish thoughts in his head.

Deep inside, at the very end, he's grateful to Odin for deciding that Thor can see him just and only after sunset, because during daylight time Thor would find him so highly vulnerable that the god of Chaos himself is the first one to be astonished by that.

- At least, now I have a certain thing to do, to keep my mind busy all day long!- he reminds to himself, deciding to start the day with a fuel of energies.

And the left cake of the night before applies to his purpose.

He drinks the water in the jug, pleasant even at room temperature ; and then he analyses the empty jug better.

It's made of steel, with a rather flexible handle.

Luck seems to smile at the god.

He pulls the handle and it extends as much as he needs.

With a little sneer, Loki takes the lamp and puts it on the floor, and then he drags the table towards the main door, which leads to the stairs.

It's true, Loki is not allowed to cross the threshold, but nothing prevents him from opening the door, at least a little bit.

With a very agile leap, he lands on the table, holding the jug in his hands.

He pulls the handle of the jug once again and realizes with satisfaction that it remains perfectly stuck in the door's thickness.

He jumps down the floor and moves it away to pull the door a little more and his sneer enlarges, because everything keeps going as he planned for his revenge.

The jug does nothing but slant down, gradually, emptying itself, in case it was full of a liquid.

He pulls the door way too much and that makes the jug slip from the edge and fall; lucky for the prince it lands on his side of the room.

If it had fallen on the other side, Loki would have no chance to take it back.

Relieved by that, he grabs the jug and goes to the bathroom and fills it with the water from the tap of the bathtub.

He's perfectly aware that it's not drinkable water, but its glorious purpose is not to get gulped down.

Loki sits on the bed, with the jug placed on his lap, and wraps his hands around it.

Only after few seconds, he can already fell that the contents of the jug has already become a little colder than before.

He goes on like that, until some shades of a ghostly blue appears on his hands and the whole jug becomes covered with a tiny gloss of ice.

Loki smiles to himself, very satisfied, and then he takes the jug back in the bathroom, emptying it in the bathtub; ready to repeat all that series of actions when it will be necessary.

- Come on, Thor, pay a visit to me after sunset: I'm going to welcome you in such a *warm* way!- the gorgeous god sneers devilishly.

/

Thor hears someone knocking at his door and rushes to open it.

"My dear son, I would have come to you even earlier; but your father kept me busy with him in a long discussion!" Frigg reports, entering the room. "At least, it seems that he didn't prevent me from seeing the only son who I'm allowed to pay visits to!" she adds with a hint of resentment towards her husband.

"I can already guess the reason of your visit," Thor smiles, inviting her to sit in an armchair.

"So you can already give me an answer, without any need for me to ask you that question." the queen replies, taking a seat.

"It was a majestic success. Loki was thrilled when he saw that cake and had a bellyful of it, without too many ceremonies; he even offered some to me." her son reveals. "As it's easy to guess, he has not eaten the whole cake, but something says to me that when I go to him tonight I'll find only the crumbs!" he chuckles. "By the way, I'm glad to inform you that he also ate the rolls of bread off the night before!" he smiles, sorts of proudly.

"It's such a good news to hear that he's in good health!" the queen rejoices, but then her face darkens. "But I fear that he will be forced to eat only bread even tonight!" she announces, sadly.

"Why do you talk like this, mother?" Thor narrows his eyes at her.

"Your father had managed to know that I ordered to cook that cake. Probably, one of the cooks is his personal nark." the woman figures out. "And the Allfather wanted explanation about it!"

"Oh no, so father found out everything, didn't he?" the blond alarms, already picturing in his mind all the possible punishments.

It's enough to see his mother shake her head negatively, with a sweet smile, to calm Thor down.

"Nope, don't worry, I told him that I ordered to do that cake for Volstagg, your friend, in order to properly celebrate his victory against a Fire Giant!"

"Well, it seems a very plausible excuse to me. Plus, Volstagg can't make anyone suspicious; he would be able to eat anything!" Thor chuckles. "So, did father believe your words?" he looks for confirmation, as he curls up a blond lock between his fingers, to give vent to his distress.

Frigg nods.

"And I'll tell you more, he was stunned by the fact that Volstagg got content with one cake only!" she adds, with a pleased smirk.

Even Thor smiles, but then he stares at her very intently, while he caresses his chin in a pensive way.

"Is anything bothering you, my lovely son?" the queen asks him, feeling she is under examination.

"Oh, mother, I'm so astonished by your ability to lie, which is so refined. Usually, it's the sons who inherit some peculiar characteristics from their parents… and not the contrary!" he asserts, pretty amused, and that makes the woman smile as well, before she gets up from the armchair.

"What am I supposed to say? I love fighting my personal battles, with all the weapons I have at my disposal!" she justifies. "Just give me some time and I assure you that I will manage to make your father change his decisions about Loki's food!" his mother guarantees, stubborn, heading towards the exit.

"But for now, we'd better not make him anymore suspicious; that's why tonight you'll bring to Loki the meal that our king established for him!" she rolls her eyes, before leaving.

/

It's a sunny afternoon, there´s not even one cloud that would dare to wander around the sky that is so amazingly blue, bright and limpid.

It's the perfect weather for a nice walk and Odin doesn't miss such opportunity, postponing all the bureaucratic and legislative duties to a drearier day.

Obviously, the king is escorted by a group of guards, ready to safeguard his royal person.

It's not that there's any need for that, since the only potential threat for their realm right now is locked inside a tower from where it's impossible to escape.

And the king's thoughts, as well as his look, goes just to that tower, which he can easily see from afar with the only good eye he still has; but mostly he thinks about who is trapped in that tower.

- Oh, Loki, I only wish that the isolation will give you the chance to reflect properly, to acquire a lucid awareness of your reckless deeds and to help you make the good choices; so that one day I can finally welcome you back again as a son who I must be proud of! – the wise king ponders, with a deep, long sigh.

He's crossing the royal gardens and his whole attention is captured by lively chatting of some Asgardians who look very familiar to him: they are Thor's best friends. There are the three mighty warriors with that odd, girl that wants to prove to anyone she can be a warrior, as well, but Odin must admit that she really has what it takes to be a respectable warrior.

Probably they're waiting for his firstborn son to reach them, in order to start the daily training.

As soon as the four people realize that the Allfather and his platoon are there, they immediately quit talking and pay homage to him with a devoted bow.

"I appreciated that a lot, my dear warriors, but there's no need for that; you can stand up!" the father of all gods exhort them, with a slow movement of his hand, as he walks towards Volstagg, which hasn't the slightest idea about why the king is reserving him such a honor.

(End I)


	8. IV II: Nice move

Hello, I'm back

a huge YOOOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU to all the Guests. Lol for the 'another ! comment ahah ' , plus the one who read it chapter by chapter… aaawwww it's so rare to find people like them ^^ Too bad I can't see your name, I just see 'Guest' lol

here we go:

Chapter IV II: N*Ice* move

"My worthy and brave warrior, I've been told about your remarkable victory against a Fire Giant; when it's only a personal fight that doesn't bring to any war, it's such a good thing that a fighter shows his value in a battle! That's why I'm very pleased by your deeds, sonny!" Odin congratulates, benevolent, smiling at him and putting a hand on his shoulder.

Volstagg is even more puzzled than before, but he decides to get along with it.

"Err... thank you, Majesty!" he grumbles, narrowing his eyes, as he prefers to ignore his friends' astonished and bothered looks.

Odin is about to leave, but then he turns to him once again.

"Huh, I almost forgot: next time you desire an Yggdrasil cake, you can ask it directly from me!" he informs him.

Volstagg is utterly dumbfounded, but he tries his best not to show any sign of his confusion.

"That's what I will do, my king!" he asserts with deep voice.

Odin nods and leaves, followed by his guards.

"Hey, Volstagg, my good old pal, have you faced a Fire Giant lately?" Fandral questions him.

"And why haven't you involved us in your adventure?" Hogun adds, hints of reproach in his tone.

"So did you eat a whole Yggdrasil cake, without even offering a slice to us?" Sif accuses him.

"Sif, since when do you care about food? I was sure your main and unique interest was the battles!" the blond swordsman chuckles, making fun of her, as he pinches her cheek, affectionately.

Sif jolts at that contact.

"Even warriors can have a sweet tooth!" she justifies.

"It's a side of you that I ignored!" the blond swordsman strikes back.

"Obviously, there's so much more you don't know about me!" the pretty brunet grumbles, insulted, before everyone's attention fall on their robust friend.

"My friends! I assure you that nothing like you've been told happened, I could never do such a thing!" he clarifies.

"What? To eat a whole cake on your own?" Fandral stares at him in disbelief, raising his eyebrow.

Volstagg bursts out laughing. "Nope, of course I can do that pretty easily, even two or three cakes; but the point is that I didn't request any cake like that! However, I mean that I could never live an adventure without involving you!" he points out.

"So why did the king…" Hogun wonders out loud.

"I have no idea!" the questioned man grumbles puzzled.

Sif brings a hand to her temple.

"Maybe the Allfather is begining to feel the weight of his years; Thor should better take his place as soon as possible!" she states.

"Yep, after all those millenniums, there's no wonder if Odin is slipping a little bit." Fandral adds.

They don't have to wait for long, before seeing Thor.

"Good afternoon, my friends, are you ready for the training? I feel in such a good shape today!" Thor greets them, a little cockily.

He doesn't understand why they all have those dumbfounded expressions on their face.

Volstagg approaches to him.

"My dear friend, have you got any idea about why Odin believes that I faced and won a battle with a Fire Giant?" he asks him, scratching his head in confusion.

The god of Thunder must do a huge effort not to burst out laughing, but he manages to keep his self-control; showing both seriousness and puzzlement.

"I really don't know why! Probably he must have mistaken you for another one!" he answers vaguely.

/

It's sunset.

The moment of the day that Loki craves the most.

That night he has one reason more to crave it.

Everything is set impeccably and he has just finished his 'special treatment' with the jug, before placing it back on the door.

He turns the lamp on, in order to enjoy that show better.

He can feel Thor coming from afar, because of his not so weightless attitude.

"It's already open, you can come in, Thor!" he invites the other with his most cordial tone.

The fish in question immediately swallows the hook.

"Hello, bro…aaaaaaaahhhhhh!" Thor exclaims, turning that initial greeting into a bothered scream, as there's a downpour of water as background; and, as grand finale, a metallic noise, followed by another complain from the blond.

Things went much better than the god of Mischief's most optimistic expectations; because, not only the jug has emptied itself on Thor, but it ended up on the unlucky visitor's head.

"Ahahahahah!" Loki burst out laughing shamelessly. "If only I had one of those stupid Midgardian tools that capture the moments and imprint them on those papery things… your face is priceless!" he goes on having fun of Thor, holding his stomach, because of laughing too much.

"Loki!" Thor snaps, hitting him on his knee with the jug, which soften the younger god's laughter.

"Why?" Thor wonders, indignant, as he massages his offended forehead.

"Why not?" the brunet strikes back, pungently; while he massages his knee.

"Well, this wasn't a wise move; you can forget your dinner. Now this rolls of bread are drenched and uneatable!" he retorts, before starting to sneeze ponderously.

"I do not mind; after all the cake I ate I wouldn't have touched food anyway!" Loki shrugs, even more amused when he sees the other shivering.

"This water is cold as ice!" the elder god complains, as he squeezes his shirt and his trousers that are still dripping.

"Oh, I know it is!" the younger god chuckles.

"Why is it so icy?" Thor questions him, as he squeezes his hair, too.

"Because at room temperature it would have been too pleasant to you!" the other asserts.

"No, you didn't understand. I mean, how can it be so ice-cold? Loki, how did you manage to do that, if you… " Thor trails, squeezing himself once again, before approaching him.

"Oh, please, your father may have taken my powers off, but I'm still a Frost Giant. I can't create a weapon, okay, but I still know how to bring a temperature under zero degrees!" the brunet explains, with nonchalance.

"So you still have some resources!" Thor observes him, diffidently.

"Oh, yeah, sure. I'm a sort of living tool to cool dishes down; the whole Universe is going to kneel before my mightiness!" Loki rolls his eyes, sarcastic.

"Yeah, after all, you're rather impotent!" the blond chuckles.

"Hey!" the god of Chaos snaps, insulted. "You could have chosen countless other ways to say it: innocuous, harmless, not dangerous, unarmed… even weakened, if you really wanted… but why did you have to use just that word? I'm not impotent at all and I'm going to prove you, right here, right now!" he growls, getting closer to stare directly into his blue eyes, without any fear.

Only with the wisdom of hindsight, Loki realizes the double meaning of his sentence and he's astonished by the way Thor is looking at him, first stunned and then… intrigued.

As a matter of fact, the blond smiles extremely sensually at him.

"What was that, Loki? Were you making advances on me?" he murmurs, while he twirls one of his black locks between his fingers.

Loki enjoys that blissful vision: with drenched hair, shivering because of the cold, so much that he has goosebumps all over the visible part of his body.

A part of Loki would like to give Thor a very different kind of shivers.

He stares at the blond languidly, while he caresses his strong shoulders.

"Would you like me to do that?" he mewls sensually.

An awkward silence fell between them, filled only by their panting and by the accelerated beating of their hearts.

The atmosphere is impregnated with a palpable sensual tension, but neither of them is goind to do the first move.

- He's only tricking you, he just hates you, it would be his umpteenth way to make fun of you!- Thor's conscience warns him.

- He's only tricking you, it's just his umpteenth way to show you his superiority, but you can't give in! – Loki's conscience advises him.

Thor finds the necessary self-control and willpower to part from the other.

"Enough with your dirty, little tricks, Loki, we're missing the main goal!" the blond grumbles.

"And what would it be?" the brunet stares at him in disbelief.

The only answer that he receives is Thor walking towards the balustrade with the new jug that he had brought to him.

"Congratulate yourself, because thanks to your stupid prank, you won't drink before next sunset!" he says, as he empties the jug from the banister.

"It was worth it!" Loki laughs scornfully, especially when he hears Thor sneezing again, more frequently, shivering more and more, because of the cold.

"Why did you act like that? After all I've done for you; I've even brought the cake to you!" Thor retorts, coughing and sneezing.

"The cake was mother's idea, not yours, confess!" the brunet points out acidly.

"That's where you're wrong. Do you think that our father agreed? Of course, he didn't, so it was necessary to find someone who would distract him while mother was making the cake. Guess who volunteered for such a task?"

"You? How?"

"I've asked him to give me the 'when you will be the king' speech!" Thor reveals.

"Oh," Loki says, stunned. "Did you ask for the reader´s digest version or the unbearably extended one?" he wonders.

"The unbearably extended one; and trust me, this time it seemed even longer than usual!" the god of Thunder complains, shivering, because of the cold that it's gnawing his bones.

"And you did bear that horribly boring speech? For me?" Loki asks him, impressed, while his emerald eyes shine with awe and wonder.

Thor nods, sneezing for the umpteenth time.

"And you're still trembling so much." Loki states, with a tone that sounds almost concerned and maybe also regretful.

"Wait for me, here!" he leaves, going to the bathroom and taking his cape, the only part of his clothes that didn't meet that inglorious destiny, no matter how hard Loki has tried to clean them with the bath salts.

- If I really can make some requests, the first one is going to be a powerful detersive!- he swears to himself, before going back to the other room; where Thor is waiting for him, questioning him with his sapphire eyes, darkened with perplexity.

Without any need for words, Loki makes Thor sit down on the floor with him, wrapping the cape around him, in order to absorb the humidity.

"You've been unlucky: if you had a Fire Giant for step-brother, right now you would be already dried and warmed up!" Loki grumbles playfully, placing a hand on his forehead, to assure himself that it's not too warm, silently glad that it's not.

Thor grabs his hand, entwining his fingers with Loki's.

"Don't ever say that, not even for joke, my brother: I wouldn't change anything of you, absolutely!" Thor smiles sweetly at him, enjoying the soft warmness of that cape.

"Geez, I'm wrong. You must have a huge flu, you're in deliration!" Loki jokes, breaking free from his grasp.

The truth is that he doesn't want to show Thor how impressed he is by his sweet words of pure affection.

"You know, I've thought about it for a while; there's another reason why I deserve to be a king much more than you do!" he adds immediately after, mostly because he needs to change topic.

"That's how you spend your days, isn´t it?" Thor chuckles, while he's already recovering a little bit.

"I've already told you that's none of your business! So, do you want to hear my motivation or what?" the brunet insists.

"I really can't wait!" the blond replies, sarcastically.

"Fine. I should be the king, because… I'm the god of so many more things than you!" Loki asserts.

"What?" Thor startles.

"You're the god of Thunder. Period. I'm the god of Mischief, Lies, Chaos, Tricks, Discord, Evil … which sound so imposing!" the younger god giggles. "Besides, someone even calls me the god of Ice!" Loki states, counting on his fingers all his nominations, in order to emphasize it.

"That's not a challenge, Loki!" Thor makes him notice, snorting in disappointment.

"Maybe not, but it's a matter of fact!" his interlocutor sneers cockily.

"Well, wait, your list is not correct. I'm also the god of Flashes… and someone also called me god of Storm sometimes!" the elder god points out.

"They're the same thing, you know?" Loki makes him notice, very amused. "However, it makes no difference, I'm still the winner. If you want, I can even accept your nomination as god of Perfect Hair!"

"You're not funny!" Thor growls, insulted. "And I repeat, it's not a challenge!" he underlines, before recalling something important. "Well, you know… people dedicated a day of their week to me, Thursday, as Thor's day. Instead, you have no days!" he retorts.

"Every day should be Loki's day!" Loki shrugs, rolling his eyes.

"But it's not!" Thor strikes back, triumphal.

"You´ve said it's not a challenge, right?" Loki reminds to him, more and more amused.

Among chats and jokes, the moment of leaving comes, even sooner than usual; only because Loki insists for Thor to go home and change the wet clothes, to warm him up properly.

Obviously, he has resorted to the excuse that he couldn't stand him a minute longer.

Once he's alone, Loki puts his elbows on the balustrade, with his gaze lost in the void.

He recalls that equivocal sentence that slipped from his lips and thinks about the consequences.

He sees Thor's look again, again he feels Thor's fingers as they play with his black hair, he smells again his oh so manly aroma and hears again those sensual words in his ear.

He wonders why.

- Is it possible that he was sincere? Is it possible that he could exchange the same feelings that tears my heart apart since we were teenagers, back to when I still thought about him as something forbidden? That's why I had to show all my resentment to him… because of the simple reason that I couldn't love him, much more than a brother is supposed to love his brother. That was even before I found out that we're not brothers for real. Is it really possible that he understood everything? - Loki wonders, but the dark of the night can't give him any answer.

TBC

So, here's the thruh: Loki loves Thor for much longer ^^ Did you expect it?

Well, I guess you all have overestimated Odin ahha.. poor dear king, I'm terrible at him. XD

Hope you'll still like it, pleeeease let me know, even a word is precious. ^^

Goodnight, it's pretty late. XD


	9. V I: Doubts, prizes and jealousy

betaed chapter by the great Charlie ^^

Hellooooo!

thank you all for being so amazing ^^

sorry for my terrible late, but I had another fandom to think about.. :/

Anon: hellooooooo dear, how are you? So nice to see you even here ^^ LOL, nope, I swear I was sure that brunet was okay even for black-haired guys… well, let's pretend it is, it's just to bothering to write 'black haired guy ' every time ahah

thanks for your support ^^

1WeirdGinger: lol, don't worry, dear, I LOVE to be under pressure, it's a way like another to show me that you care ^^

Sorry for mistakes, I'll post the betaed chapter as soon as it's ready ^^

Have a nice reading :)

**Chapter IV: Doubts, prizes and jealousy**

"Etcì" Thor sneezes for the fifth time in the morning, so the tiny pipe of glass, with an odd liquid inside that indicates the corporeal temperature, slips from his lips, landing safe and sound on the soft edge of the bed, avoiding an inglorious crashing end.

"Just as I have feared - you've got the flu!" Frigga murmurs, placing a hand on his forehead that is hotter than usual.

She definitely prefers the traditional methods.

"I don't trust that strange tool!" the woman grumbles, staring with not very well hidden diffidence the thermometer that she gathers from the bed and places in its case.

"It's a gift from Bruce; you know, he's also a doctor and that's the way the Midgardians check their temperature… etcì!" Thor explains with the umpteenth sneeze, as he sets himself better under the sheets.

"You haven't caught the flu since you were an adolescent; I guess that your journeys on Midgard made you weaker." the woman makes her witty remark. "The great, feared and mighty god of Thunder… " the woman goes on, pitching her voice to make it more resounding. "Knocked out by a little cold water… if only your father knew that!" she chuckles at the end.

"Mother! It's not very nice of you making fun of your son!" the blond protests, insulted in his self-respect.

"A proper king must have also a good sense of humor and self-irony." the woman strikes back.

"Yeah, sure; I guess that father conquered you, because he made you die laughing!" Thor remarks pungently.

"We're not talking about me, nor about your father!" Frigga is on the defensive.

"However, I'd like to point out that no, it wasn't just cold water, it was freezing, beyond every possible level. And probably it's not only that, I wonder what hellish spell Loki must have cast on it!" the blond grumbles.

"Oh no, my precious, don't say such absurdities! You know better than me that Loki can't use his magic anymore. I'll tell you what exactly happened: you worked out with too much vigor, so you caught a cold. And then, Loki's joke did the rest, but you gave him the premises!" his mother states.

"You always defend him!" Thor accuses her.

"I defend him only when it is fair!" the queen points out.

"It looks like it's fair way too often!" Thor mutters under his breath.

"Hey, I heard you! This is not a proper way to speak to your mother!" Frigga reprimands him.

"If you really want to know that, your younger son, so rightful, fair, faultless and perfect, even tried to strangle and poison me last day … with a soap!" Thor reports, overstating the real facts.

"You surely must have done something to provoke him!" is the impassible queen's reply.

Thor jolts, recalling what his not very brotherly intentions were.

"No, no. I assure you that I didn't do anything to him!" Thor swears.

The only answer he gets is Frigga's laughter, as she caresses his hair.

"Honey, it's Loki the god of Lies, not you; you're more transparent than water, I can tell whenever you lie to me." She explains. "Which is a quality of yours that I really adore!" she smiles, bending over him to kiss his forehead.

- Fight for mother's love; Thor:1-Loki:0.– the god of Flashes ponders, victoriously.

"I don't want to investigate any further, but whatever you did to Loki, I'm sure that it wasn't his intention to harm you, it was just a warning." the woman goes on, walking towards the window to close the curtains, in order to prevent the sun from permeating the room with too much impetuosity.

"After all, you know how your brother is, don't you?"

"With a criminal and deranged mind, power-hungry, feeling an insane, vicious pleasure every time he tries to destroy all the realms he can?" tries Thor.

"No! I meant that he's got such a big heart and a docile soul that he's forced to close up inside an armor of coldness and hostility; in order to hide his insecurity. Your brother is misunderstood who ended up acting like he acted, because of his sudden lack of certainties and an acceptance that your father has denied him … and you know how much he was sorry for that." she reminds him of those sad and grey days when they thought Loki was lost forever.

"The point is that your brother can give a lot, if you know how to manage him properly. You must have hurt his sensibility somewhat!" she asserts.

- Fight for mother's love. Crushing:1-Loki:2 – the blond ponders, snorting.

"Instead of accusing your brother in vain, you should just try to get better. Forget the training for today, you must rest!" she summons him.

"But… " Thor dares to protest.

"No buts! We're lucky, because your father won't be back before sunset, thanks to his bureaucratic commitments with a neighboring realm. I have all the day to make you recover; we'll pretend that this has never happened!" the queen informs him.

"Are you really going to say nothing to father?" the blond asks her hopefully, disliking the perspective of looking weak in front of Odin's eyes.

"It will be our little secret!" Frigga guarantees, winking at him.

"It's comforting to know that you don't always side only with Loki!" Thor chuckles.

"Oh, come here, my big jealous guy. To my love you and Loki are never in competition!" she replies, hugging him.

- Fight for mother's love. Thor:2-Loki:2. Even –the blond smiles at himself, relieved, unable to think of a better result than that.

"Mother, although the rest is good for me, there's another way to help me recover faster!" Thor informs her, parting from her embrace.

"How?"

"Open the drawer close to the table, you'll find a tube inside." Thor instructs her and Frigga obliges.

"Now, be gentle, give me a glass of water." Thor goes on, getting what he required.

"What are you going to do? And what is this tube?" the woman asks him curiously.

"It's another gift from Bruce, they're aspirins … at least I guess they're called like that. They have the power to heal the one who uses them." he explains, opening the tube and putting a tablet into the water who becomes effervescent.

"Is that normal?" Frigga wonders unsure.

"Yes. It's like drinking a magic potion… but it's less damaging!" Thor assures her, before gulping down the medicine in one shot.

**** (In the meantime)

They rays of sun wake Loki up, warming his ethereal face with their pleasant heat.

The brunet pops his eyes open, raising his head from his arms where he had sunk it; realising that, while he kept making all those silent questions, he ended up falling asleep on the balustrade.

A little shrunken, he massages his neck, aching after that uncomfortable position.

It's not his main problem: to be so exposed in sunlight for so long made him hot and thirsty, incredibly thirsty, but he recalls too late Thor's so-called-revenge.

"Damn Thor!" he curses out loud, deciding that he should spare his voice not to make himself even thirstier.

But the only mention of that name is enough to make him sink in his pondering, although it's not very optimistic.

- Thor can't have any interest towards me, save the one of trying to redeem me. And, of course, trying to humiliate me in every possible way, as he persists with his intention. Let's not fool each other ; I'm very aware of what I am and what I've done; I'm an assassin, I crave power, everyone thinks I'm insane, I'm a psychotic; Thor couldn't ever seen me in a different light … he just wants to take the black, lost sheep back to the damn, golden herd!- he thinks, disgusted, grasping the railing between his fingers.

- No, probably he didn't understand anything … nor will he ever!- he states, before allowing some not so remote memories invade his mind.

All that time that they have spent together, not only because Thor was forced to; the harmonious and the witty long chats, those mutual, fleeting gazes, the moments of relevant awkwardness between them.

A small part of Loki still feeds that hope.

- Who knows? Maybe, at least a little bit… -

The god of Chaos smiles, forcing himself to forget all his troubles, at least for that moment.

He has slept for so long that it's already early afternoon, there's only few hours to the sunset.

Too bad that he jumps to another conclusion.

- I'm dying with thirst and there's anything even remotely potable. To poison myself is not the main creative activity on my agenda for today! And the sunset is still so far away!- he figures out, alarmed.

/

"Good evening, Loki, how ar… " Thor commences, as he feels as good as new, enteringing in the room of the prisoner.

"Water, water, water!" Loki runs towards him, worn out by the thirst.

Thor is fast to place everything on the bed, holding the jug in his hands, that jug full of the water that the younger prince craves so badly.

"Oh, that's good. So you want this, don't you?" Thor figures out, aware that, for once, he has the whip hand.

It's such a succulent occasion no to take advantage of it.

He holds the jug as higher as he can, preventing Loki from reaching that, although the brunet is jumping.

"Damn. If only I still had my powers, I would have already snatched it from you with the force of a magnet!" Loki grumbles, hoarse, because of his terrible thirst.

"But you have not!" Thor strikes back pungently, dodging the other for the umpteenth time, while he tries to catch the jug.

"Please… " Loki gives in, exhausted, too weakened to be as combative as his usual.

"It's not enough." Thor asserts.

Loki confines himself to questioning him with his look.

"You know better than me what I want to hear from you!" the blond adds.

Loki gulps down the few saliva left in his mouth, because he's about to make a huge effort.

"Please… brother!" he declaims, clenching his fists and almost using violence against himself; and as if he had just pronounced a magic formula, the second after he finds himself holding the desired jug in his hands, while Thor is grinning, radiant with happiness.

Loki is too busy drinking the fresh, pure water with big sips, to notice anything else.

"I'll make you pay for that!" Loki swears, as his face darkens, as soon as his thirst is extinguished.

"Oh, I'm trembling with fear!" Thor makes fun of him, pretending to be scared.

"Although I don't have my magic anymore, I'll do all I can to make your life impossible to live!" Loki warns him.

"I just don't see how!" the blond shrugs.

"Never underestimate me, Thor; never!" the younger god sneers.

"Saving the threats for later, what about eating something?" Thor exhorts him, showing the meal to him.

This time there are not only the rolls of bread, but also a lot of fresh fruit of every kind.

"Well, well, this is what I call a progress!" Loki smiles.

"You have no idea how hard is mother fighting for this issue; she already managed to persuade father to reconsider his meal disposition, as you can see. If things go on like this, I guess that soon I will bring you a steak!" Thor informs him. "Of course, already cut in pieces, because no one would be so reckless to give you a knife!" he adds immediately after, playfully.

"Yeah, you would be so unwise and you would repent bitterly for that!" Loki jokes with him, giggling, before taking a big, delicious red apple and bite into it fiercely.

Thor loses instantly his will to laugh and his main thought becomes only one.

- I want to be that apple!-

(End I)

More to come in the next part.

Hope you'll still like it and have fun with that ^^

plllleeeeeeaaase, let me know in any case ^^

Goodnight, it's shamefully late XD


	10. V II: Doubts, prizes and jealousy

Hello!

I'm so so so sorry for this huge late! :(

to 1WeirdGinger: LOL about everything you said. But yeah.. you put me under pressure about this chapter, hope I'll pass the test XD

warning: there's plenty of crazy stuff! XD Hope you'll have fun ^^

**Chapter IV II : Douts, prizes and jealousy**

Time goes by and, with great relief from both of the young gods, there haven't been any awkward situations anymore that risked to give their mutual self-control a very hard time.

One day Odin calls Thor in the presence of him; as the king waits for him, sitting on his throne, the same throne that is going to become Thor's, pretty soon.

"My dear son, it's been several months since Loki's captivity. Do you have any news to share with me?" the wise king starts.

"Everything is going on in the biggest quiet, every day goes by with the same routine and Loki is proving himself to be really worthy of your forgiveness. I've already forgiven him, a long time ago." the god of Thunder declares, as he bows in front of his father, respectfully.

"So do you confirm that he didn't try to escape in any possible way?"

Thor shakes his head negatively, with pride.

"Nope, he hasn't even tried. How could he do that?"

The king smiles.

"Good. Very good. What about you? How does he behave? Is he hostile to you?"

It takes Thor some minutes to think about it.

Since Loki has sworn that he would have made Thor's existence impossible, he definitely kept his word. Thor recalls all the times that he set up an ambush for him, beyond the threshold; making him stumble inside his pitch dark room; or that particular time, when Loki had managed to hide a fork left from a meal beneath the sheets, inviting warmly Thor t keep company to him, sitting beside him… and the pain Thor felt is anything but a long lost memory! And there's even that time when, using the Midgardian lamp at his disposal, Loki had even managed to make Thor burn himself, somewhat.

But save these little mischievous tricks, Thor also recalls more serene and pleasant nights.

"Nope, father. Save some witty jokes of his, since it's Loki's nature; my brother is behaving flawlessly with me, as well." his son asserts very convincing.

"Sonny, you have no idea of how your words bring joy to me." Odin comments satisfied, while he takes something behind his throne. "I think it's time that Loki receives a little distraction that can entertain him!" he concludes, throwing a book to Thor.

"You're allowed to give it to him, when you see your brother tonight!" he instructs him.

"So be it!" Thor beams; before taking advantage of the fact of being in Odin's presence, his own father, to talk about a certain issue that is beginning to put him under pressure.

"Father, I was wondering… my coronation is incoming. " he commences. "So, in order to make the event even more sumptuous, wouldn't it be proper to consider the eventuality of giving some other titles to me?" he hazards.

"I'm afraid I didn't comprehend." the All father narrows his eye.

"Yeah, I mean… Loki is the god of so many things; I'm just the god of Thunder… or of the Flashes, there's no so much difference. But you could name me… I don't know, god of Braveness, of Fairness, the protector of Midgard … " Thor tries to persuade him.

"No, absolutely no! I don't like at all those dull and frivolous requests, which makes you look too greedy for glory!" Odin rejects his proposal, harshly.

Thor caresses his chin, thoughtfully.

"Well… it doesn't sound so bad … the god of Greed for Glory!"

Odin rubs his face with a hand, exasperatedly.

"Thor, at least can I know who put all this foolishness in your head, about the fact that if a god has more titles it means that his value is bigger?" he questions him.

"Well, Loki did!" Thor babbles.

"As I supposed. After that, I should name you the god of Easily Subjugated Mind!" Odin teases him, good-humouredly.

Thor nods eagerly.

"I accept. Deal!" he asserts, thrilled.

The All father's patience has a limit … and Thor has just exceeded it.

"GO AWAY! NOW! And don't make me doubtful about my decisions for the second time!" he sends his son away, very enraged.

/

" …. and at the end he kicked me away, as furious as ever!" Thor reports woefully to Loki, after the sunset.

Loki chuckles, clearly amused.

"Really? Did he do that? The old man starts to earn scores from me!" he comments between laughter.

"And he's going to score even more, since he asked me to give you this!" Thor informs him, showing him the book.

Loki stares at it very excited.

"It's a book … right? I mean, a real book? A book that can be read?" Loki wonders inconsequent, as happy as a child.

"Why? Do you even know books that can't be read?" Thor teases him.

"I don't even know what I'm saying anymore, this isolation is exasperating!" the brunet justifies.

"However, yes, you won't believe me, but it's a real book that can be read!" Thor makes fun of him again, chuckling and earning a glacial glare from Loki. "But don't thrill yourself too much, it's not a magic book, I told you so. It's only Midgardian literature!" he informs him.

"I know, but I don't mind!" Loki beams, before observing that book better. " 'Crime and Punishment' ? What is that? Is Odin making fun of me?" he grumbles, grumpy.

"Father says that you can learn a lot from that book!" the blond replies.

/

The night after, Loki welcomes Thor very enthusiastically.

"Father was right, it was such an illuminating reading!" the brunet exclaims.

Thor sees him so thrilled that he doesn't even dare to make him notice what he has just said, but he's silently pleased by that.

"Does it mean that you already finished to read it?" Thor asks him astonished.

Loki nods proudly.

"Well, it's not that I have so much to do here!" Loki shrugs. "Do you think that it's possible for me to have another book?" he asks him, very politely.

"Yes, I'm sure that father won't disagree!" Thor smiles. "By the way, tomorrow I have a meeting on Midgard, with the other Avengers. I'll take advantage of that to bring other books to you!" the blond informs him.

"A meeting with the Avengers, huh? Is there another big villain who threatens your beloved, precious Earth?" Loki questions him, amused.

"Nope, it's only a routine meeting. You're still our number one big villain!" Thor smirks.

"Oh. You're flattering me!" Loki smirks.

"So you're going to see even the pompous millionaire … Tony, if I recall properly, is it right?" he adds, immediately after.

- Hey! Since when does he even recall his name? – Thor grimaces in disappointment.

"Yep, why?"

"I'd like to let him know about my newest plan. I've been think about it for a while." Loki admits.

"Which plan?" Thor questions him, even more disappointed.

"It's about a Midgardian invention that you would love. It's the hairdryer. Do you know? That sort of tube with a handle that blows hot air?" the brunet explains to him.

"Huh, right! I guess I saw Jane using one of those tools once!" Thor recalls.

Hearing that hated name, Loki snorts and grimaces, but he tries not to mind at that.

"Right. So now imagine one of those inventions, but with a giant size. It could be the perfect weapon to melt Jotunheim down and Tony could help me create it … if only I managed to persuade him that Jotuns are our common enemies. Otherwise, to convince someone about something to me it's easier and more natural than… to breathe!" the overblown god of Mischief.

Loki is just joking about that, but Thor jumps to another conclusion.

- Sure! Why didn't I figure out before? Obviously, Loki is fascinated to clever and brilliant minds, like his, because they challenge his intellect. So it's more than normal that he feels attracted by Tony or Bruce . What could I ever offer to him, me, who do nothing but talking about my hammer? – the blond grows upset.

"Hey, are you okay? Look, I was kidding. I'm not planning to destroy Jotunheim … not yet, at least!" Loki giggles.

Thor confines himself to putting a brave face on things.

/

Thor keeps his word. Once he's back from Midgard, after he analyzed the current situation with the other Avengers; he brings Loki not only books, but also Midgardian food: hamburgers and French fries.

The god of Lies hadn't any chance to eat that stuff while he was on that realm.

Loki seems to be addicted to those funny yellow sticks, so salty and crunchy.

Once the dinner is done, he washes his hands, not to make the book he loves so much greasy, and starts to examine them, one by one.

"Well, let's see … the Grimm Brothers' biography, the Wright Brothers' biography, the Lumiere 's biography… Thor! Are you trying to give me a message?" Loki rolls his eyes.

"Is it so evident?" the blond asks him awkwardly.

"You're as unpredictable as clever!" the brunet states.

"Thank you!" Thor beams, but then his face darkens, as he reflect about those words a little better. "Hey! Wait a minute. You insulted me!" he pouts.

"It just goes to show!" Loki chuckles, before his look falls on another book "What is this?" he questions the other, showing him the book.

"It's the story of two brothers ." Thor explains.

"But they are two tigers!" Loki makes him notice, exasperated.

"Yep, but the other told me it's such a beautiful story!" the blond justifies.

"You have a serious problem!" the trickster rolls his eyes again.

/

The day after, at afternoon, Sif observes Thor intensely, while he works out, engrossed in a fake battle with Volstagg and Fandral.

"Did you decide to talk with him, finally?" Hogun approaches her, since he's the only one who knows her secret.

"Yep, I don't think that I can hold on any longer!" the fascinating warrior asserts.

"I know, you've been keeping telling yourself for months that you have to talk with him, but there's always something that makes you change your mind!" the warrior with oriental features comments.

"It's not easy!" the brunette protests.

"I can imagine that; but you can't go on like this. You must face this issue and be prepared for any consequences. If you keep remaining with this doubt it will wear yourself out!" her interlocutor advises her.

"Yeah, you're right, my friend. But this time I'm very intentioned to tell him everything; there's no point of return!" Sif smiles, very thrilled. "I'll wait for the training to be over and then I'll speak to him!" she announces, eagerly.

TBC

Yep, it's been months… and yet those two gods haven't jumped on each other's bones yet. Do you believe it? I hardly do, but it's so! XD

How long can they still hold on? Uhmmm….

a little note: there's no need to put a disclaimer for all those biography. About the story of the two tigers, it's from a movie called 'Two brothers'… and probably there's no book about that, but let's pretend there is, okay? ^^

Hope you'll still like it, pleeeeeease, let me know, it's the best way to prove me you still care ^^


	11. VI I: MIsunderstandings bring the truth

_Good evening everyone,_

_sorry for this shameful late, but I was busy with RL and the writing on chapter VIII of this story XD_

_finally, here's the update_

_thanks to everyone ^^_

_1WeirdGinger: sorry, I know I'm in shameful late! LOL on 'another!' . Oh, is there for real a book like that? good to know ^^_

_Wing of Darkness: thank youuu! Oh, really? I still have to watch that movie, but it sounds so sweet ! about Sif, eheh you'll see_

_here's my dear beta, corrected chapter ^^_

**Chapter VI I : Misunderstandings bring the truth**

"Thor!" Sif calls him, running towards him, after the training.

"What's going on, Sif? Let me guess, you want some feedback about how you fought today? I'm speechless, I see that your reflexes improved a lot, such as your agility and … " Thor starts his list of valuations, but the girl stops him, with an explicit gesture of her hand.

"Nope, Thor, I don't want to know this; I mean … it's logical that I've improved, did you have any doubts?" she shrugs, with her typical self-confidence.

- Why does everyone think that fighting and battles are all that matters to me? – the beautiful warrior torments herself.

"I understand. So, what's the matter?" the soon to be king asks her.

"It's not something that I can talk about with such insouciance, here and with such a little time. I'd rather talk in privacy, in a more isolated place and with the proper time this matter requests." the girl replies.

"It's very delicate issue and I know that now you don't have time to dedicate to me, because you have to run to the tower!" she adds, snorting in the last part, sort of bothered.

- Sif wants to talk with me privately, about a very delicate matter and she wants me to dedicate my time to her. Besides, I've never seen her so agitated!- Thor gathers all the pieces together, creating his own jigsaw puzzle of insight.

- For Odin's sake! Sif is asking me out for a date! – the gorgeous blond figures out, and then he recalls all his previous discoveries about Loki's interests.

- It's plain that I haven't a single chance with him, since he's so fascinated by more brilliant, knowledgeable and stimulating minds that can challenge his shrewd mind … if he ever gains his freedom and has the possibility to enjoy their company. I'd better resume holding the reins of my life and look for the future, a future that can be bright, not so bright as it would have been with Loki! – the god of Flashes ponders, while he observes Sif intently.

"Thor?" the girl tries to capture his attention, but without any success.

- After all, she's such a beautiful girl, she's pleasant, we have a lot in common and she can stand her ground when she wants. Besides, mother would be happier to see me married to an Asgardian girl. – he mumbles. – And love is not that important, it can be pushed to the background… -

"Thor! Are you still here?" Sif takes his mind off, waving one hand in front of his face.

"Is it okay for you if we meet each other tonight, in front of the royal gardens?" Thor suggests to her, catching her off guard.

"Huh? Tonight? Yep, tonight it would be just perfect. But how will you deal with … your brother?" Sif asks him curiously and Thor knows very well that it's a huge effort to her call Loki in that way, just and only to please the mighty warrior.

"All I have to do is to make sure that he doesn't try to escape, which would be impossible anyway; and to bring food to him and other necessities; but once I'm done with these tasks, I'm free to leave whenever I please. I'm not his wet-nurse … and it was Loki to remind me of that in the first place!"the blond explains.

"Well, it's wasn't very nice of him… oh, well, it would not be Loki otherwise!" Sif grumbles, making the other smile.

"Fine. We'll see later, then. I can't wait!" Sif greets him, running away.

- Well, what is done is done, there's no going back! – the god of Thunder muses, going back to the royal palace, in order to take all the he needs, before paying a visit to his beloved, confined prisoner.

/

"Come in, Thor, it's open!" Loki exhorts him from the other side, since he has heard him arriving; but then he feels a certain hesitation from the blond.

"Don't worry, no tricks. You know, there are jokes that can work out so well only once!" he adds, managing to persuade him.

"You are so unpredictable that I can never be sure!" Thor grumbles, letting in the room as more carefully as possible, and then he places all his stuff on the table.

Loki simply waves his hand to greet him, without raising his look from the book that he's reading, sat on the bed, with his legs crossed.

"You came back to your bookworm, glorious attitude, didn't you?" the blond makes fun of him, although he's secretly happy to see him reading the books that he has given to him.

Loki interrupts his reading, to face his look.

"Make fun of me as much as you please; but truth is that these Wright brothers are incredible. Did you know that they could fly?" the brunet comments thrilled.

"So what? We can fly as well! NO, wait, _I_can fly, you can't anymore!" the warrior reminds to him impertinently, chuckling.

Loki glares at him, but he doesn't react.

"I meant that they could fly without any magic power, only resorting to their brains, their application and their passion, which brought them to invent very respectable stuff. When they try hard, Midgardians can do remarkable things!" the god of Chaos points out.

The god of Thunder takes advantage of that to seize the opportunity.

"Can't you see how important and strong the brotherly bond is and how many things it allows you to do?" he beams at the brunet.

Loki closes the book nervously and gets up from the bed.

"I checked and I didn't find out that one of them was adopted, with a father who was too coward and planner to tell him the truth; and with a mother who was too lovely to make him wish he had a different one!" the younger god strikes back, going towards the blond.

Thor stares at him softened.

"It's very nice what you said about our mother!" he smiles.

"As a matter of fact, I want you to tell her this." the brunet murmurs.

"So be it! But don't count on me for what you said about our father!"

"I expected that. Besides, you are not brave enough to face _you__r_ father, not even to report my own words!" the trickster accuses him.

"That's not true!" the god of Flashes strikes back.

"Do I really have to remind to you that the last time you faced him and told him what you truly thought of him, you've been banished from the realm and turned into a banal, mortal human?" Loki giggles.

"Touché!" Thor mutters, before changing topic and walking towards the dish.

"Why don't you have a break from reading now and enjoy your meal?" the elder prince invites him, taking off the lid of the plate and showing him what's inside.

"I don't know what you did to deserve it, but tonight you gained a succulent steak!" he informs him, handing it to a very hungry Loki.

/

Thor looks outside, leaning on the banister of the baluster, trying to guess what time it could be, judging from the darkening of the sky.

- I must have been here for one hour, it should be nine o' clock. Sif is waiting for me. – he muses.

Loki approaches him, silently and slowly, leaning close to him on the banister.

"You know, I prefer winter days to these summer days." he asserts, while he stares at an undefined spot, maybe because he feels like chatting.

After all, Thor has the feeling that Loki is in a very good mood that night, maybe thanks to the books that he has brought to him.

"Can I know the reason why?" Thor asks him, fighting the impelling urge to wrap an arm around his shoulders, because he's afraid to break that idyllic moment.

Loki turns to him, smiling at him in a way that he hadn't done for too long.

"Because the sunset comes sooner!" he murmurs, and then he looks away.

Thor would like to do a lot of things, too bad that he chooses to do just the worst thing ever.

"It's already so late." he grumbles, going back to the room.

"Late for what? The sun has set for a few hours!" Loki strikes back, following him.

"Well, you already ate, about the bath… " Thor sums up.

"You give me the clean clothes and _I_ take care of my own bath, alone, like we have already planned!" the younger prince points out.

"So I can leave, can't I?" the elder god wavers.

"Are you already so sick of keeping me company after these few months?" Loki chuckles, amused.

"Nope, it's not that… "

"So why do you want to leave? Do you have a date maybe?" the brunet makes fun of him.

Thor's silence is a very eloquent answer to Loki.

His face darkens instantly.

"Oh, it's so, then, isn't it? What? Did your pathetic mortal find a way to reach you?" he snaps acidly.

"No, it's not Jane, it's Sif who… " Thor clarifies.

Loki's good mood is only a long lost memory by then.

"Why are you still here? You don't want to make your pretty warrior wait for you, do you?" he incites him, enraged, pushing the blond towards the door.

"She just asked me to talk with her, it's nothing important. If you want, I can refuse and remain here with you." Thor informs him.

"Go away!" the other hisses glacially, opening the door and shoving him through the threshold that is forbidden to the Jotun. "And don't feel forced to come back tomorrow!" he adds, slamming the door in his face, ignoring Thor's several complains.

Only when he feels Thor leaving, Loki throws himself on the bed, desperate.

- Sif. During all these months, I thought that the main problem was the damn Midgardian, instead my real rival is here, so close, and she can see him every time, even daytime; but it wasn't enough to her, she just had to take him away from me even during the night! – he ponders, corroded by envy.

- I don't care, she can keep him. Thor doesn't care about me, at least not the way I wish he cared. I'd just deluded myself!- he muses, as he feels his hopes crumble away like polystyrene rolled between fingertips.

** (In the meantime)

No matter how many efforts he does, as much as he convinces himself not to think about it, for every step that Thor moves towards the royal stairs, the image of a smiling Loki resurfaces in Thor's mind.

And he was smiling just to Thor.

- Oh, who am I kidding? No one makes me feel the way he makes me feel, no one can turn on inside me the same vortex of emotions. How can I expect to go on with my life if my life is Loki? – the gorgeous warrior admits to himself.

- I'd better clarify everything with Sif. She's such a dear girl, I cannot give her fake hopes, it's not fair!- he establishes.

"Thor, here you are, finally!" the nice brunette greets him, walking towards him.

Absorbed in his thoughts as he was, Thor didn't even realise that he reached his destination.

He observes better the smiling girl next to him. She's dressed exactly as she was during the training. Her hair is still trapped in that practical ponytail that falls behind her back. She doesn't wear any elegant accessory and that makes Thor feel a little better.

"Sif, I guess that it's better if… " he exclaims, but she cuts him off.

"No, Thor, please, let me speak first, otherwise I won't be strong enough to have this speech anymore!" she insists, inviting him to sit with her on a marble bench.

"Thor. You, me, Hogun, Fandral and Volstagg have been friends since... always, haven't we? " she commences and her interlocutor confines himself to nod, waiting for the proper moment to make her face the truth.

"But sometimes, you know, to be only friends is not enough, because there are other ambitions, bigger ambitions. But we restrain, because we don't know if the other could ever return our strong feeling, so we go on disguising it with friendship and… " Sif goes on, becoming more hesitant.

Thor can't wait any longer.

"Sif, I'm speechless, really; I'm very flattered, too, but I unfortunately have to let you know that I can't return these strong feeling of yours. You're only a friend to me, a very good friend and… " the god of Thunder rumbles in hurry, taking her hands.

For his big amazement and puzzlement, Sif bursts out laughing.

"No, wait, Thor, what did you think? I wasn't talking about you … I was talking about Fandral!" she confesses.

(End I)

_So, did you expect it? ^^_

_I don't care about the comics who want Sif and Thor together. My story, my rules XD_

_And, believe me, you're going to love Sif, at least I hope you'll do._

_see you on part II, yep , it's going to be *the part* you were waiting for ^^_

_in the meantime would you be so nice to let me know what you think about this part? *makes puppy eyes*_

_a huge kiss_


	12. VI II: Misunderstandings bring the truth

_Hello!_

_thank everyone so very, very much, for reading, commenting, following or preferring, you're awesome._

_by the way:_

_Vo: yeah, dear, I know your e-mail doesn't work, that's why I reply here ^^. Thank you so so much, was it faster enough? ^^_

_Guest (sorry, I don't know your name :( ) : thank you so so much. Lol, Hogun, really? I guess that Fandral is just perfect for Sif (plus in the deleted scenes of Thor coronation , there's a little moment between them when they're clearly flirting XD ) LOL, I love when you reproach Thor XD , let's see if you'll forgive him now ^^_

_1WeirdGinger: I'm glad you're happy with Sif's choice ^^. I know poor Loki, poor Thor, will they ever make things right? Just read to find out ^^_

_Sorry for the possible mistakes , I'll update the beta-ed version asap ^^_

**Chapter VI: Misunderstandings bring the truth**

"Fandral?" Thor repeats, stunned, but extremely relieved.

"Yep, but since he's always surrounded by such beautiful women, I don't think I have any chance with him. But you're his best friend, you're the one who he confides the most with; I tried to talk with Hogun, but he couldn't say me anything, I don't even want to bother with Volstagg. But you … maybe you can tell me if I should risk or if I'd better forget him and go on with my life, so that I can save my pride and avoid wasting time, right?" she asks him, eager to hear his answer.

"Sif, you have never given Fandral a single reason to think that you longed for him!" Thor comments, still a little bit dumbfounded.

"Of course, I have not!" Sif retorts.

Thor smiles at her.

"So, tell me, did you ever think that our dear friend flirt with all the other beautiful women of the realm in order to take his mind off the only one who he believes is unattainable?" he winks.

"Do you mean that… " the awesome warrior smiles ecstatic.

"I guess that you should talk directly with him and I have the feeling that you both could find out very pleasant things!" Thor advises her benevolently.

"I was sure he only saw me like a sort of little sister!" she grumbles.

"Sometimes love makes us blind!" Thor states.

"It's so true. By the way, what about Loki and you?" she catches him off guard.

Thor almost falls from the bench.

"Loki? What's the matter with Loki now?" he giggles nervously.

"Don't even try to pretend with me. I can recognize love looks and I saw the way you stare at the tower during the day!" the girl disarms him.

"Are you telling me that you approve that?" the soon-to-be king observes her with diffidence.

"You know what I think about Loki, but I want you to be happy and if he's your choice I won't oppose , I assure you that. After all, you've always seen in him something that the others and I can't comprehend; you have always defended him, you can look beyond the evil actions he did. So if he's so special to you … "

"He is!" Thor cuts her off.

"Fine. But don't you expect me to be his bridesmaid!" she snorts, making him laugh.

"Don't rush thing, my dear friend! I don't even think that he cares about me!" he grows upset.

Sif slides closer to him, placing a hand on his knee.

"Tell me, how are things going between you? How the isolation is?"

"It's full of ups and downs. There are days when he's unapproachable and he shows his hatred towards me in every possible way; but there are even more serene days, when we seem to find the complicity we used to have once. We talk a lot, we recall old memories, we laugh together of funny stuff and we cheer each other up during the greyest moments. And we quarrel, a lot, obviously!" the blond smirks, amused.

"I don't think they are ugly premises for a good relationship!" the brunette comments.

"I don't know. You know, today he almost seemed so well-disposed towards me, but right after I told him about my date with you, he snapped as if he was… "

"Jealous?" she anticipates him.

"Yep, and I had even to justify with him, like… "

"Like you do when a jealous fiancé?" Sif figures out, with a knowing smile.

Thor nods, confused and astonished.

"Trust me, Thor, to me it seems the typical attitude of someone who really cares about you!"

"Do you really think so?" Thor smiles, his hope renewed in his heart.

"And you dared to call _me_ blind!" Sif chuckles. "You are the most worthy of the warriors, but you understand nothing when it's a matter of feelings!"

"But it's different! Loki is so proud, he would never confess!"

"He would, if you tortured him a little!" his friend advises him.

Thor stares at her horrified, with pure disgust in his eyes.

"For Odin's sake! Thor, it was a figurative speech, I didn't mean it literally!" the girl patiently clarifies, slapping her forehead, before getting up. "You must find his weak point and hit it mercilessly, I'm sure you'll have his back to the wall!"

"Thank you, my friend!" Thor gets up as well, hugging her.

"But, really, did you never have a crush on me?" he asks her when they part, a little wounded in his ego.

"Of course I had, I was so impossible obsessed with you!" Sif confesses, without any shame.

"Really?" Thor raises his eyebrow, intrigued.

"Yep, but you know, adolescence makes you make so many mistakes!" she giggles, cocky.

"Hey!" Thor plays along, punching her shoulder jokily. "C'mon, go take what's yours!" he exhorts her.

"Will you do the same?" she asks him.

"Nope. I prefer to wait until tomorrow, at sunset. it's part of my torture!" he winks.

"You're such a fast learner!" she smiles, running away, full of expectations.

/

"I told you that it wasn't necessary to come back!" Loki snaps, when, at sunset, he hears someone knocking at the door that this time he has wisely locked up.

"I do what I want!" Thor strikes back, as he keeps knocking.

" _I_ do what I want !" Loki points out, opening the door with rage.

"Yesterday everything went alright. Our meeting had positive effects and Sif finally managed to get what she wanted so badly!" Thor refers to him, enthusiastically.

"I don't recall that I have asked you about your meeting!" Loki crosses his arms against his chest, snorting very soundly. "However, I'm so happy for her. When will the happy marriage take place?" he grumbles, as he gnashes his teeth.

"Soon, very soon. Probably the marriage will take place by the end of this year!" Thor informs him with a huge grin.

Loki stares at him brokenhearted, growing paler instantly.

That's such a stab in his heart.

"Al… already?" he confines himself to asking.

"You know, when you find real love, you don't want to let it go away anymore!" Thor justifies.

Loki is more and more wounded inside, but he doesn't show it, of course, neither does he give in.

"Oh, really? I really hope that your father will give me a special permission, because I wouldn't want to ever miss such an eventful day!" he hisses.

"Maybe you'll have that permission. After all, I'm pretty sure they're going to invite us. At least me, that's for sure, I'm the best man!" Thor chuckles, deciding that he has made Loki suffer long enough.

Loki stares at him in disbelief.

"Invite _us_? Best man?" he babbles in confusion, as he paces back and forth around the room that doesn't allow to him much space. "Okay, it's a well-known fact that you are unbearably egocentric, but you would never get to the point that you are your own best man at your marriage… wouldn't you?" he stares at him in a mixture of confusion and hope.

"And I thought it was you the clever god! Have you not gotten it yet? I'm not going to be married, Fandral is! He's Sif's soon-to-be husband!" the blond reveals to him, cheerfully.

Loki feels so incredibly relieved hearing that news, but right after he realises that he's fallen in trap, especially judging by the way Thor is staring at him, as he gets dangerously closer and closer.

"You're jealous, my dear little brother, confess it, once for all!" the god of Thunder makes the god of Chaos back off, touching his heart with his index, until he has the brunet with his back to the wall, literally.

As a matter of fact, Loki is trapped between the cold wall and Thor's warm, mighty chest, while he keeps him pinned.

Loki has no other choice but give in.

"Okay, okay, I bloody confess! I was as jealous as hell of Sif, Jane, of everyone who breathes; because the bloody truth is that I'm in love with you, much longer than I can recall!" the younger prince screams at the top of his lungs, without even taking a breath, like a sort of vent, while his eyes get tearful.

Both of the gods stare at each other in deep silent, as their hearts seem to challenge each other to find out which one beats faster.

Thor parts from Loki, allowing him to recover.

"I'll perfectly understand if you're disgusted by this shocking revelation of mine and you won't want to pay visits to me anymore and… " the god of Mischief keeps rumbling, but his tone is calmer, almost resigned, but Thor shuts him up, tapping his mouth with his hand.

"Don't utter a word more. Now let me talk." he smiles at him, heartening.

Loki nods, a little bit scared.

"That's true, I missed Jane, but I cried my eyes out for you and you only, every single, damn night, while I sat on the broken Bifrost, just in the spot where I saw you falling!" Thor confesses, freeing Loki's mouth.

Loki doesn't utter a single word anyway, because he's too dumbfounded.

"Yes, and I'll tell you more. Sometimes I even tried to read your beloved books, because doing something you liked made me feel you closer to me somewhat!" the blond reveals.

Loki smiles, one of those genuine and sincere smiles, like the one he showed Thor the night before, jolting abruptly when Thor brings his hand to his pale face, caressing him sweetly.

"You know, Loki, when father told me the truth, after the initial shock, do you want to know what are the first feelings that overcame me? Relief and a sense of freedom!"

"What? Did you find so revolting being my brother?" Loki snaps insulted, putting his hand away from his face, rudely.

"Do I have to tie your damn silver tongue or are you going to let me finish talking, instead of telling such bullshit?" Thor strikes back.

Loki nods in silence, allowing him to go on.

"It was relief, because, when I acted as if I wanted to keep you far from me, preferring to spend my time with my friends rather than you, or when I searched for comfort in the arms of that sweet, pretty Midgardian girl, it was only because I didn't want to give in to that temptation and that instinct that I thought was forbidden and incestuous. But knowing the truth about your origin was like getting rid of a suffocating load. Loki, we are not brothers; I mean, we are brothers in the heart and in the spirit, but not in our blood, at least. This is what can make us free, what makes me free to love you like you deserve to be loved!" he smiles, caressing his hair, tenderly.

"Thor … there was a moment when I wanted to kill you … " Loki admits, with broken voice, because of that strong emotion after Thor's confession.

"I know." Thor whispers.

"But you don't know the reason why!" Loki raises his tone, parting from him once more. "I wanted to kill you when you were on Midgard, or I wanted to prevent you from coming back home, in any possible way, just because I wanted to prevent you from finding out the truth. Thor, do you have the slightest idea about how I felt when I found out who I really was? Among all the creatures, why just that one? If there was something that you hated the most it was just Frost Giants and to see hatred in your eyes when you looked at me would be too much, I couldn't stand it!" the brunet confesses, feeling his face wet with tears, while Thor wipes his eyes, running his thumbs across his cheeks, as delicately as he can.

"And I even got the chance to kill you with the Destroyer, but I couldn't bring myself to really do such a thing, so I preferred only to hit you lightly." Loki goes on. "I didn't think you would be so bloody fragile!" he adds, lighting up a little bit that atmosphere so filled with pathos.

"I had lost my powers, I was only a simple human, of course I was bloody fragile!" Thor justifies, a little insulted.

"It's only a bunch of pathetic excuses!" Loki chuckles among tears. "However, you forgave me." he returns serious instantly.

Thor nods.

"And you also forgave me, although I devastate half town with the Destroyer!" Loki goes on with the list.

"Even father said that it was not such a big damage, after all!" the blond comments.

"And you even forgave me, although I threatened your precious mortal" the brunet reminds to him.

"I understood what you really wanted to do: you were just trying to urge me to fight against you!" the god of Flashes strikes back.

"Can you bloody stop justifying every damn thing I did?" the younger god yells at him, exasperated.

Thor confines himself to smile sweetly at him.

"I can't. I love you. And the most important thing is that I've finally found you again!" he bursts out crying, touched.

Loki runs towards his arms, crying even more.

"I love you, too, and I have been so torn apart for all these years, by your same fear and torment, afraid that I wouldn't be worthy anymore of father and mother's love if I had felt in such a way towards my own brother!" he confesses, wetting his shirt with his tears, as Thor calms him down, drawing circles on his back, slowly.

When even Loki's last yelp fades out, the god of Mischief face his brother's look, more serenely.

"Since we both asked ourselves for years how it would feel, why don't we try to find out if our mutual attraction is just an illusion of it goes beyond that?" Thor suggests to the other and in those shining sapphires Loki can read a clear invitation.

Grasping his shoulders, Loki hoists himself to skim the blond's lips with his, in a contact that seems to be almost wavering.

Loki traces the contour of Thor's lips with the point of his tongue, asking for a better access, shyly.

Thor pleases him impatiently and they explore each other's mouths, as their tongues entwine, play together, fight against each other with the same fierceness of their owners.

Loki breaks the kiss first, after a time that neither of them could quantify.

The brunet stares at the blond in clear disbelief.

"I've waited for so long … for this? I had so bigger expectations. It wasn't anything special, don't you think so?" he states coldly, rubbing one hand against his lips, as if he was disgusted.

"Yeah, you're right … I thought it would be different, too. " the other grumbles, as he stares at the floor, upset and brokenhearted.

Loki giggles, lifting his chin up with a finger, forcing Thor to face those two amused emeralds.

"How many times do I have to remind you that I'm the god _of Lies_?" he winks at him, before pulling him closer for a deeper kiss.

TBC

_Yeeeaaah, they're finally together XD_

_what will happen now? ehehe you'll find out_

_hope you liked this part, feel free to tell me anything, but please, do, your support means everything to me ^^_

_by the way, check also my other story 'Tricked Thunder ' , huge thanks to who already commented it ^^_

_hugs to everyone, thanks for your time!_


	13. VII: So delightfully in love

_Hello.. and goodnight (it's soooo late!)._

_1WeirdGibger: aww you're so kind, thanks!_

SouljBoi Tellem: yaaaaaaaaay new reader! Thank you so so much, you're very kind, I'm glad you like the conversations ^^ . Hold on, 25 sept is near ^^

Guest: aww, thank you so much ^^

_yep, I kept my promise! and to make you forgive me (at least I wish) for this shameful late, whole chapter this time, no splitting for once XD_

_there will be nc17 stuff, too, I warned you ^^_

_no re reading, so sorry for mistakes :( .. I'll update betaed version as soon as I got it ^^_

**Chapter VII: So delightfully in love**

It's Thor the one who interrupts the kiss and pushes the other away.

"Hey! What does make you believe that I like it for real?" the blond grumbles.

Loki smiles and approaches to him again, as if nothing happened.

"Oh, yeah, sure. You would like to fool the god of Lies, wouldn't you?" he chuckles impudently.

"If you're not the god of Kiss there's a reason, don't you think so?" Thor strikes back pungently, with annoyed attitude.

Loki's smile immediately fades out.

"No, wait, it' just because I'm not very expert with that, but I promise that I'll practice and… " he justifies, upset and agitated.

Now it's Thor who chuckles impudently.

"See, little brother? I can fool you whenever I please!" the mighty warrior brags, before kissing him, with a remarkable eagerness.

"It means that you… " Loki figures out, against his lips, but he's visibly relieved. "Hey, it's unfair! Maybe you've spent too much time with me, or I've softened too much… or both of those things!"

"I guess it's your influence, I'm spending too much time with you … and I'm utterly intentioned to spend even more!" the blond assures, holding him tight.

"I like this purpose." Loki murmurs, enjoying that powerful hug. "At least I didn't kiss the first Midgardian randomly!" he strike back sharply, pinching the other's hip.

"Ouch! Jane wasn't the first Midgardian randomly!" Thor points out, but he worsens his situation and earns from Loki an even more painful pinch.

"But she is the last, for sure! And not only of Midgard, but of all the nine realms!" Loki growls.

"I like you so jealous!" Thor giggles.

"You should always like me!" Loki grumbles bloated, turning his gaze away, annoyingly.

"And I do." the blond murmurs, ruffling his hair affectionately, caressing it from the nape on, in the opposite direction, as you do when you want to ruffle the fur of a cat.

Thor would like to get another kiss from the cat in question, but when the blond cups his face, determined to turn him to his direction again, Loki backs off, parting from him.

However, he realizes by his look that it's not another annoyed gesture and the brunet's further words corroborate his theory.

"No matter how pleasant is kiss each other, first there are things that I would like to understand better!" the brunet explains, sitting on the bed and inviting Thor to mirror his actions.

"Such as?" Thor wonders, sitting close to him.

"How did it happen? Why this sudden spirit of initiative? Why just now?" the god of Chaos questions him.

"Everything started two days ago, when, after the training, Sif told me that she wanted to speak with me." the god of Thunder starts his tale.

"Could you please avoid naming that simperer to me?" Loki cuts him off, snorting.

"Trust me, you could start to like hearing her name!" the blond winks.

"Huh?"

"It's her who asked me about you. She immediately figured out what my real feelings towards you were." the warrior explains.

"Really?" the younger prince jolts. "Hey, wait a minute. _She_, who hasn't seen me even once since you've brought me back here, figured it out, and _you_, who have been enjoying my company for _months_ , didn't figure out anything?" he makes him notice, astonished.

"Well, it seems that neither you realized something about me, after all this time!" Thor strikes back cuttingly.

"Touché!" the brunet lowers his gaze, woeful.

"You know what? I guess that people in love can notice the love between other couples, but they are unable to figure out something about their own love!" Thor states with a smile, caressing Loki's cheek with a finger, to lift his face up.

"Hey! _I_ am the wise one in our family!" Loki protests in awe, but after all he has just sincerely congratulated with Thor… his way.

"Okay, Sif noticed that, but what did she do to persuade you?" the brunet goes on with his inquisition.

"She asked me to tell her everything and when I told her how you reacted when I informed you that I would have met her, she made me figure out that it was pure jealousy , a jealousy that hid a determined interest. So she advised me about how to make you confess and … you know the rest of the story!" Thor reveals, smiling.

"Yep, I sort of remember it!" Loki winks, while he passes a finger on his lips, rather satisfied. "Does it mean that Sif approves what there's between you and me?" he wonders dumbfounded.

" 'Approve' is such a big word. Let's say that she doesn't oppose!" Thor clarifies, chuckling.

"So you're telling me that now I'll have to cross her off my back list? She was on the top!" Loki retorts.

"I guess that she just earned to be crossed off!" Thor states and Loki shrugs, as a kid does when he doesn't want to admit that the other is right.

"Deal. Now there's the pompous millionaire on top!" the god of Mischief snorts.

"Is it a long list?" the god of Flashes asks.

"Do you have to decades to listen to it?" Loki makes him smile.

Thor stretches his hand towards the youngest god' hand, caressing softly the back.

"Where was I on your list?" he asks him, a little wavering

Loki's answer is to hold that hand in his, entwining their fingers.

"You have never been in that list for real." he confesses, with an awkward smile.

Thor shows such a bright smile that he could irradiate all the room, but then he frowns.

"Really? Not even when you wanted to kill me with the Destroyer?"

"I don't recall that I've killed you at the end, right?" the brunet shrugs.

"Well, technically I've been dead for some minutes!" Thor makes him notice.

Loki moves his hand away, snorting bothered.

"You're so punctilious!"

After a few instants, he turns to his brother to face his gaze, without any trace of malice or sarcasm.

"Those were the most terrible minutes of my life." he admits with ghostly voice, resting his head on the might blond's shoulder.

"There, there. It's all over." the other comforts him, but he realise that he should better change strategy if he wants to draw his attention again.

"So my little Loki didn't practice with kisses much, did he?" he comes back to that delicate issue.

Instantly, Loki raises his gaze from his shoulder, with a visible awkwardness that makes his cheeks blush.

"Well, you know, it's not that Asgard was crowded with people who were willing to kiss me!" he justifies.

"I've always said that Asgard is the realm of dumb people!" Thor grumbles.

"So it will have a worthy king!" Loki makes his poisonous witty remark, giggling.

"Hey!" the other pinches his hip, insulted, making Loki laugh even more.

"About the Midgardians, nope, they're just good to be ruled. They're not kissable… although a certain someone does not think so!" Loki goes on, a little annoyed in the last part.

"Again with this story? How long are you going to hold it against me?" Thor snorts, a little annoyed.

"I don't know … for all the eternity? Until the end of my days? Until I'll have air in my lungs?" Loki hypothesizes.

"However, I'm not surprised at all. Midgardians or Asgardians, save me, weren't interesting enough : it's well known that you give your best with… animals!" Thor makes fun of him, as he bursts out laughing.

"Brother, don't you dare!" is Loki's reaction, which pushes the other on the bed, not before pinching his hip, and then he straddles him.

This is the start of a playful and joyful battle between them, just how they used to do when they were kids, with every allowed blow, with their excited yelps and giggles as background.

After the umpteenth twisting on the bed, Thor lands on Loki.

"Did you realize how you called me before? And I didn't let you die on thirst this time!" Thor chuckles.

Loki smiles and leans closer to him, craving a kiss that finally arrives, without any needs for words.

"I want to go to bed with you tonight!" Thor confides, as they both sit up on the mattress.

Loki almost falls from the bed.

"Wh-what? Al… already? It's just way too.. " he babbles incoherently, being caught off guard.

"Huh! No, no, you misunderstood my words. I just meant sleep, lying down beside you and see you falling asleep." the blond points out. "Father says that I can pay visit to you only at night. Well, I'm going to take advantage of every bit of dark, until dawn come and separates us!" he goes on.

Loki throws himself in Thor's arms, wrapping his arms around the blond's neck.

"Are you serious? Oh, it's going to be alright. Just when we were kids, you had nightmares and sneaked though my bed, hidden from father and mother." he recalls.

Thor parts from him.

"What? It's the contrary, _you_ had nightmares and ran to me, whimpering!" the older brother strikes back.

"Hey! I never whimper!" the younger brother snaps, insulted.

Anyway, it's a very fleeting quarrel.

"Thor, about the real going to bed together, it 's not that I don't want it, but… " he rambles, embarrassed.

"Don't worry, I perfectly understand. It's the same for me. We'll face this whole thing step by step." Thor calms him down, with a reassuring smile, kissing his forehead.

/

Among Loki's dinner and tons of chats, recalling old memories and quarreling as much as they can, alternating this stuff with sweet kisses, it's time to sleep and they both get ready.

"You know, it's so good not to see you go at this time of the night." Loki admits with a weak smile, while he takes his shoes off and unbuttons his tunic.

"If only I could, I would never leave!" Thor murmurs, mirroring his actions.

"If only I still had my powers, I'd use them to make this bed larger!" Loki grumbles.

"It will be enough for both of us!" the other smirks, lying down on the mattress and inviting him to join.

Loki crouches close to him, with both of his hands and his head resting on the imposing chest who rocks him with his rhythmic breath.

"It will be a very comfortable pallet!" Loki smiles, before closing his eyes.

Thor switches the light off, wraps an arm around Loki's waist, lazily but protectively, and sinks into the same sweet oblivion.

/

It's a whining that waked the soon-to-be king up, in the middle of the night. The weak lunar light filter through the half-closed door of the balustrade and allows him to have a view in the semidarkness.

Loki's eyes are still closed, but he twists agitatedly, whining in annoyance.

It's plain to figure out that he's having a dream, or rather a nightmare.

"No!" he exclaims, out of the blue, still with closed eyes. "I don't want to. Let me go… nooooo!" he screams.

Without thinking twice, Thor shakes him, in attempt of waking him up.

"Loki, calm down. It's only a bad dream." he whispers at his ear.

Loki wakes up abruptly, but Thor notices the tears that veil his eyes.

"Loki, what happened?" he asks him.

"Nothing. Let's resume sleeping!" the younger prince replies coldly.

Thor holds his shoulders tight, facing his gaze boldly.

"No, Loki, that didn't strike me as 'nothing'. You were shocked, you're still shocked. Loki, that wasn't a simple nightmare, was it?" Thor figures out.

The brunet confines himself to shaking his head negatively, resigned.

"You were recalling something, weren't you?" Thor insists, fixing his sapphires into those emeralds, so deeply that he could even skim his soul.

Loki can't escape anymore.

"Yep, I was recalling my falling from the Bifrost and all the things that happened after that. When I met those unpleasant people, I just wanted information about where I was and how I could go away from there, but it was too late, because they had already seen in me the key of their triumph." the god of Chaos starts his tale.

Thor realises that he's talking about the Chitauri.

"I didn't want to. I didn't care about their proposal, but they… they can be extremely persuasive." Loki goes on, with broken voice.

"What… what did they do to you, brother?" Thor asks him delicately, almost fearing the answer.

Loki reveals to him every kind of torture, physical, but mostly mental that he had to bear.

"And they even wanted to erase my memory, you know? They said that I had too childish motivations, that I still had to learn what real ambition was; but I opposed, I fought as hard as I could, because I didn't want it to happen, so I bended to their will." the brunet confesses, as Thor holds him tight.

"I craved my dominion on Midgard and I still do, but not the way they wanted it." he goes on.

"I know, Loki." Thor caresses his nape, kissing his temple. "Have you been having these nightmares for long?" he wonders.

"I have this damn nightmare every damn night since you've brought me here!" the other replies. "But it's not your fault, it would have happened, wherever I would go." he rushes to add.

"You don't have to worry anymore. It's over." the blond comforts him.

"No, Thor, it's not over! He said that he will find me, no matter where I hide!" the younger god confides.

"Nope, not here. Not if I'm here to protect you. No one will ever even touch your hair!" Thor swears.

"Thanks you." Loki murmurs feebly.

"Now let's sleep." Thor orders and this time they are not disturbed anymore.

/

"You're late!" Loki barks irritated, when he sees Thor coming in, the night after.

After all it's 9:00 p.m..

"Yeah, I know, sorry, but there was a special meeting of the Avengers and that thing had its positive effects." the god of Thunder announces, showing him what he hides under his cape: a bottle of champagne, strawberries and whipped cream.

"What is it?" Loki asks him, intrigued by that mysterious tube.

"Our dinner!" Thor smiles, placing everything in the middle of the room and inviting the other to sit with him.

Loki obliges, more and more puzzled.

"We must celebrate the beginning of our love and on Midgard they use to do this." the elder prince reveals with a sly smile. "Tony explained that to me!"

"The pompous millionaire?" Loki snorts.

"Yep, he just looked at me and realized that something had happened, he took me in a corner of his building and he made me confess. He said that he already had some suspicions about us!" he smirks.

"What? Another one who roots for us?" the brunet raises his eyebrow, skeptically.

"He says that if you stay with me, you will make less damage! And don't forget that it's him who gave us all this stuff to spend a very special night." Thor makes him notice. "He said that with candles it would be even more perfect, but, you know, to do such a thing in such a tight room, with inflammable stuff didn't seem a good idea." he justifies.

Loki doesn't even seem to listen to him anymore, his mind recorded only the first sentence.

"I can do a lot of damage, wherever I am, in whichever situation, always!" he protests with passion, with his ego wounded.

"Yeah, yeah, sure." Thor gets along with him. "However, you should cross him off your list as well!"

"Uhmpff. Right. So now on top there's the soldier without time!" Loki sneers.

"Poor, dear guy! He already has to deal with Tony!" the blond reveals.

"Oh!" Loki jolts. "It means that…"

"Yep! I took Steve in a corner and I made him confess!" the other explains proudly.

"I knew it! I always saw them quarreling with too much passion!" Loki asserts.

"Just like we do." Thor murmurs, lifting Loki's chin up for a kiss.

"No, no way. We are so much better!" Loki points out against his lips.

"Alright! Let's make our night start!" Thor establishes, uncapping the champagne and placing the bowl of strawberries between them.

He takes a strawberries, spoon-fades his brother and as soon as he bits into it, the blond smashes his lips against the brunet's for an impetuous kiss.

"I like it." Loki murmurs, taking one of those fruit and doing the same thing to Thor.

"Sublime!" Thor smiles and then he takes the tube of whipped cream and start to agitate it.

"What are you doing?" the younger god asks.

"This is a very special dessert!" Thor explains, grabbing a strawberry and covering it with whipped cream.

Loki observes in awe that soft and frothy white mantle landing on the red, juicy fruit, with elegant waves.

"It looks like a piece of cloud." he comments.

"Taste it!" Thor urges him, handing to him the covered fruit

Loki gives a tentatively lick and that's enough to make him enjoy the flavor and desire to eat much more of it.

They keep spoon-feeding each other, while Thor pours the champagne in the plastic flutes.

Loki feels like experimenting with something and, without a warning, he grabs the tube of whipped cream and sprays Thor's lips with that, before cleaning him up, his way, as they kiss.

"Uhmm, this is such an interesting employ of that!" Loki smiles mischievously and Thor can do nothing but approve.

/

The alcohol circulates in their bodies and the night starts to take off, judging by the fact that they are both shirtless and on their chests there are traces of whipped cream, scratches and bites.

"Weren't we supposed to take the whole thing step by step?" Loki laughs, sipping the champagne directly from the bottle, as he lye down on the floor, not very far from Thor.

"We've waited a whole day! This is a hell of step!" Thor chuckles, snatching the bottle from his brother.

"I'm drunk, after all, you know that I'm not a very good drinker, but what's your excuse?" a rather tipsy Loki interrogates him.

"That old fox of Tony must have done something. He puts something in my drink, but he's going to pay for that!" Thor slurs, plcing the bottle on the floor and staring at the brunet.

"Get up!" he summons him.

"Why?" Loki hiccups.

"Just do that!" the blond insist and the light in his blue eyes persuade the god of Lies.

"Okay, I'll get up… if I can!" he grumbles, leaning against the wall.

Thor reaches him and begins to walk around him, just like a lion with a gazelle.

" are ya doing?" Loki stutters, nervous.

Thor smiles cockily, standing in front of him.

"Something ya like a lot: I kneel before you!" and saying that the warrior kneels.

Loki smiles, enjoying that moment.

The blond have his hands around the brunet's hips, caressing the crotch of his trousers, more and more insistently.

"For Valhalla! Thor!" the brunet moans, biting his lips.

Thor takes it as an invitation to go further with the exploration of that part of his body, in a clear state of arousal.

Under Loki's careful gaze, Thor undoes his trousers, placing himself better among the brother's thighs, ready to do his job.

And with all those hot ministrations for the younger god it becomes harder and harder to hold on and finally he lets it go, as Thor enjoys the results.

Loki grabs his shoulder, pulling him up.

"I want more." he declares, slave of the passion.

"And I want to give ya more." Thor sneers lustfully.

They fall on the floor, deciding that there's no time to reach the bed, and Loki asks Thor to prepare him to welcome the blond inside him, and the blond obliges, with extreme care and attention, eager to give as much pleasure as possible to the object of all his desires.

Among sweetness and impetuosity, among slow movements and increased rhythms, among kisses and whispered words , among accelerated heartbeats and pants. Loki and Thor become one body and one soul, letting their mutual passion burn.

TBC

_I don't like very much nc17 stuff, but sometimes it's necessary and this time it wasn't even too detailed XD_

_I hope it's decent._

_Before you ask, nope, Thanos (or whatever his name is ) won't be in this story XD_

_Hope you still like it, but feel free to tell me everything_

_good night! ^^_


	14. VIII I: Wrong or right?

_Hello, people!_

_I apologizes for this shameful late, but first holidays, then RL and finally flu knocked me down.. but finally I'm back ^^_

_Thank you all for putting this story in your favorite, alerts, but mostly for reviews, your support means everything to me ^^_

_1WierdGinger : thank youuu ^^ lol, of course, I needed some Stony in there, although I can't write much about the Avengers ^^ _

_Here's the new chapter. Sorry, it' un-betaed and un-read .. I'll re read and correct asap .._

**Chapter VIII I: Wrong or right?**

Loki awakes from a beautiful dream, but as soon as he opens his eyes again he figures out that it wasn't a dream, or at least not entirely; since the person, or rather the mighty god, who populated his dream is lying there with him, in the same bed which turns out to be more comfortable than expected.

Turning to the right, Loki meets Thor's face. Although he's still sleeping, he's showing a serene and relaxed smile.

He's crouched on one side, turned towards Loki, one of his hands rests under the pillow, the others is under the covers as it skims the brunet's hip, in the point of junction between his pelvis and the beginning of his thigh.

That contact gives Loki small and pleasant shivers of pleasure, because he can feel it very well, almost as if there was no clothes separating them.

Quite the contrary, Loki is more than sure about it.

There are no clothes for real.

This makes him atrociously suspicious.

- Wait a minute. Was it only a dream for real? How much was it a dream? How much has it been a dream and how much reality? What if it hadn't been a dream at all? –

There's only a very simple way to find that out.

He's already totally aware that he's utterly naked … but he doesn't know his the bond warrior resting beside him is in his same conditions.

With a determinate kick, he pulls the sheet away and finds out the naked truth.

He stops and stares at the other much more than he should, because, he has to admit it, Thor is really awesome: there's no even the shadow of a flaw on his body, so much that the god of Mischief fears that his own body is too petite and puny to stand comparison.

However, there's a very little time to ponder about such stuff, because that kick caused a movement that has involved his buttocks, too, awakening a pain that Loki didn't even know that existed.

"Ouch!" he complains.

That whining is enough to wake the god of Thunder up.

"'Morning, love" the blond smiles at him, still half-numb because of the sleep, as he stretches a hand in order to caress the brunet's visage.

"Damn you, Thor! You're even more pathetically sentimental at morning!" Loki snorts, pretending to be annoyed, but truth must be told, that special word did nothing but warm his heart up.

Finally, both of the gods record in their mind that basic keyword.

"For Odin's sake! It's morning and I'm still here!" Thor alarms, rushing outside the bed.

"Rules must be obeyed." Loki grumbles, visibly disappointed.

At the very end, Thor figures out something that it's not irrelevant.

"Wait a minute … I'm naked … and you're naked as well!" he comments, staring at Loki as if he would be made of Pop-tarts, tilting his head to have a better view.

His step-brother's famished look makes Loki feel so awkward, in addition to a shake-up of hormones and testosterone, that the brunet forces himself to cover his nudity, pulling the sheet.

"My most sincere compliments for your great spirit of observation!" Loki rolls his eyes, as he feels safe and more protected.

"But … if you're naked and I'm naked, then we… " the god of Flashes figures out.

"It seems so and … for all the gods' sake! Are you going to put your clothes on or what? " the god of Chaos almost pleads, realising that it's not only Thor's look that makes him feel so turned on.

"Why? Don't you like what you're seeing?" Thor sneers, very self-confident, putting his hands on his hips, exposing better all his glorious nakedness.

Loki growls in frustration, pulling that providential sheet more, in order to cover even his eyes . However, whatever he wants it or not, that vision have a particular effect on poor Loki.

"Oh, yeah, you do like it!" Thor chuckles, since he noticed a little bulge under the sheets.

"Thor, please … " Loki almost whines, incredibly awkward, as his face surface from the sheet.

"A god who prays another god?" the gorgeous blond keeps chuckling.

"Thoooor!" Loki gives out a mix of a warning and a complain, before disappearing under the covers once again..

"Okay!" Thor gives in.

"Loki, I'm dressed now!"

Surfacing from the sheet, but being very careful not to show his body nowhere further than his neck, Loki assures himself that the other is telling the truth.

"But, please now tell me. Did we two really … " the warrior insists and there's no need to finish that question.

"Yep, and I even believe that we did it more than once. And let me tell you that you haven't been delicate at all!" the younger god grumbles, still in pain, as he searches for a more comfortable position.

"I'm so sorry." Thor mutters, guilty, but Loki shakes his head negatively and then he bursts out laughing.

"Well, it must have so very special if both of us utterly forgot it!" he states.

"So you're saying that neither you … "

"Nope, but I have only the painful consequences that prove what happened!" the brunet strickes back. "Now go." he exhorts the other.

"But you… " Thor protests, as he keeps staring at a certain part of Loki's body, which, although it's hidden behind the sheets, is begging for some attentions.

"I'll do it on my own!" Loki replies, hinting at what Thor is thinking. "It wouldn't be the first time, that's for sure!" he adds, with a challenging tone , with a look that is more than eloquent.

Instantly, Thor's trousers become definitely tighter.

"Even here, in this tower. You can't even begin to imagine how many times." The fascinating god of Chaos goes on, merciless.

Correction: Thor's trousers become _unbearably _tighter.

"Oh, fucking shit!" Thor curses, in visible trouble.

"I see that you, big brother, also learned a lot from Midgardian language!" Loki giggles.

But Thor immediately makes him lose his way to be witty or humorous.

The mighty god of Thunder approaches to the brunet, as a predator, until he sits on the bed.

"What if each one took care about the other?" the blond suggests, with a deep and throaty voice, with a look that can compete with a tempter devil, while one of his hands caresses the younger god's virility, above the sheets, and then he grabs Loki's right hand and brings it on his crotch.

"Right now you would have all the damn right to be called even god of Lust!" Loki comments, in the attempts of relieving that heavy atmosphere permeated by mutual desire, because that is putting a strain on his cold self-control.

"Is it a yes?" Thor almost growls, getting dangerously closer.

"It's late and you shouldn't be here." the brunet reminds to him.

"Right!" the other slaps his forehead with his hand, before getting up from the bed and rushing outside.

"But tonight we're going to start from where we interrupted!" he adds, before disappearing and there's no an inquisition in his tone, because it's not a question at all.

Once he's alone, Loki gets up from the bed, without minding about the fact that he's naked. He walks toward the bathtub, in order to have a cold, a very cold bath.

"Oh, Thor, if only things could be easier ... " he sighs, as he enjoys his bath and lets the thoughts invade his mind.

Unfortunately they are not happy thoughts, neither optimistic ones.

- He's the light, I'm, the darkness. He's the Good. I'm the Evil. He's the joy of life. I have death in my heart. He's the hope of Asgard, his next point of reference. I'm just decay and disruption. This can't work. This could never work. I must save him from me! – he establishes, adamant.

Loki had never thought that all those months of imprisonment would have make him find out a side of himself that he didn't know yet: the altruistic one.

(In the meantime)

Running outside from the tower and flying with his loyal Mjolnir, Thor comes back to the royal palace, but in the corridor he meets just his mother who is taking a walk with Sif.

"Thor, my dear! I've been searching for you in every room. Where have you disappeared?" Frigga questions him, with a hint of severity in her tone, justified only by her big apprehension.

As it's easy to guess, Thor didn't even barely think to invent even the lamest excuse ever or a stupid alibi, in case someone would have asked him about that.

"I was... were doing.. had to .. " the blond stutters, caught off guard.

Luckily for him, there's someone ready to intervene and rescue him, maybe in the name of the tons of years of friendship that bind them.

"Thor was with me, in the woods. I exhorted him to try a new technique and I personally asked him to reach me there at sunrise. We trained a lot in the woods and then I went here, while Thor decided to remain there and practise a little more. " Sif explains. "I didn't tell you anything, my Queen, because I was sure that he had already informed you about it." she adds.

"No, it's plain that my beloved son likes making his poor mother very anxious!" Frigga sighs exasperated, glancing at her neglecting son with a blaming attitude, while the blond confines himself to bow his head woeful, silently grateful at his friend, because of her precious intervention.

"By the way, can I ask you what you are exactly doing here together?" he dares to ask, after a few seconds.

"The dear Sif here gave me the joyful news and we are taking care of all the preparations!" Frigga answers happily, but not as happy as the soon-to-be bride.

"But... the marriage will be at the end of this year, now it's just the beginning of summer." the warrior grumbles in confusion.

"You never start the preparation for a marriage soon enough!" both of the women reply in perfect and harmonious unison.

"Besides, you know, Thor, our Majesty, the Queen, has such a good taste for decoration, furniture, accessories, locations ... I couldn't help asking her for some advices!" Sif reveals.

"And you just did the rightist thing, my dear!" the woman smile at the girl. "We were just talking about the colour of the tablecloth. I guess that you should ... "

"Forgive me, my Majesty, but I have the absolute necessity to talk with your son, regarding our training of this early morning." Sif cuts her off, with all the proper respect and courtesy, before taking Thor to her side.

"How could I ever thank you for your well-timed help, my friend?" Thor whispers, full of gratefulness.

"Maybe being more careful, next time!" the beautiful female-warrior strike back, aseptic. "And now tell me why you are so damn late. Where were you?" she adds, possessed by the demon of curiosity.

"Would you believe me if I told you that I was at Loki's tower until this morning?" Thor murmurs.

"Geez, you must have really lost your mind for him, if you go even against the rules that your father, the All Father, imposed to you!" his friend comments, astonished.

"Wouldn't you do the same for Fandral?" the blond makes things difficult for her, with a shrewdness that usually is not typical of him.

It must be another of the side-effects of Loki's closeness.

"Touché!" Sif snorts.

"But if you stayed with him for so long, then it does mean that... something happened, am I right?" Sif asks him impatiently.

"Yep, it happened but.. Loki doesn't remember and neither do I!" the blond confesses.

"What does it mean?" the brunette narrows her eyes.

"I don't know, but I'm going to find out. Today I will finish the training before you, because I have some certain, mortal friends of mine who to pay visit to." the god of Thunder announces, while determination flashes in his sapphire eyes.

(End I)

_so why don't they remember anything of last night? And what Loki is going to do?_

_You'll find the answers in part 2, don't miss it ^^_

_Hope you still like it, please let me know anyway ^^_


	15. VIII II: Wrong or right?

_Hello!_

_It's hard to believe but I'm back ^^_

_Forgive my quick updates, it won't happen anymore. RL; weather and health are stressing me and I became slower to do every single thing :(_

_Please, be patient_

_All I can say is that from next update on the parts will be longer, okay? ^^_

_sorry for mistakes: un-betaed chapter + sorry to my beta, I still hadn't time to replace the corrected chapters you sent to me, but I will. Thanks for your precious help 3_

**Chapter VII II: Wrong or right?**

"Come in, Thor, it's op…" Loki invites him, with a rueful tone, but he can't even finish his sentence, because the blond smashes his lips against the brunet's, pushing him on the bed.

"Get off me!" Loki snaps, pushing him away, using both of his hands against his chest, sort of rudely.

Thor doesn't seem to mind.

"I know, now I know everything. I know why this happened!" he informs the younger god with a grin.

"What are you blathering about?" Loki stares at him on confusion.

"I know why we forgot everything. I had a very enlightening chat with Tony and Bruce . As I had supposed, the champagne we drank had a special addition, invented by them both; but it's supposed to have an effect only on an Asgardian 's blood. That's why for you it was a simple booze-up, since you can't handle alcohol very well, but it had on me the effect of three Boilers!" the elder god informs him.

"Three what?"

"Never mind, it's a Midgardian drink, very strong, you would pass out after a sip!" Thor chuckles and then he becomes more serious. "The point is that that addiction, mixed with the champagne created a sort of second mixture, unpredictable, which had the same effect on both of us."

"It made us lost that memory!" Loki figures out.

"Yep, and there's no way to bring it back." Thor announces, grieving.

"At least, I know that it was science and not a bad, divine presage." Loki states. "But I don't like this thing. Usually, _I _play with people's mind, not the contrary!" he grumbles, bothered, before making a big sacrifice.

"Maybe it's better this way!" he adds, coldly, getting up from the bed.

"What are you saying?" Thor protests, dumbfounded.

"We were supposed to take it slowly, step by step. But we didn't and this made me realize how all this was just a big mistake. Thor, you're the first one to always remind me that: we are brothers. This is against nature!" Loki explains, sure that he found a believable excuse.

"We are not brothers, as_ you_ never forget to remind me!" Thor snaps, getting up from the bed as well, to face the other better.

"We can't be not-brothers only when you please!" Loki strikes back acidly, facing the blond's look without any fear.

"And we can't be brothers only when you please!" Thor insists. "Our love is pure. It goes beyond races, blood and supposed family ties." he adds in a whisper, while he caresses his jet-black hair, with warm tears falling from his blue eyes.

Those are the same tears that are about to fall from Loki's eyes, while he pushes the other away, once again.

"Nope, this thing is an abomination, from every point of view!" he states, with a low gaze and a trembling voice.

"I don't believe you!" Thor yells at him.

"Oh, sure, I'm the god of Lies, no one should believe me!" Loki laughs scornfully, walking towards the door and opening it. "Now, go away and come back only when you'll take one, ten, one thousand steps behind and you'll resume being my night watchman and nothing more!" he hisses glacially.

"I'll come back tomorrow, be sure of that! I just hope that all this blathering his only a temporary fear, because I won't give you up!" Thor asserts, leaving and shutting the door angrily.

The same anger that Loki throws the tray down from the balustrade with, losing all his appetite, furious with himself, but also incredibly proud.

- I've done the right thing. For Thor. – he repeats to himself and then he throws himself on the bed that still has the blond warrior 's aroma on the pillow and on the sheets.

He holds the pillow tight to himself, inhaling deeply its scent, as he allows his tears to fall down from his eyes.

There's only a thought invading his mind, a detail that doesn't leave him alone, a fact that torments him restlessly and mercilessly.

- I've made love with him and I don't even have the memory of that anymore … and nothing will bring that memory back. This is so unfair! I must do something. At least I deserve this thing! –

And this new awareness keeps company to Loki all next day long.

** (In the meantime)

Thor didn't spend that time more serenely than Loki, although he managed to disguise his real mood with everyone, not even Sif noticed anything.

- I recall when I saw that documentary with Steve and Clint about the climbing of the highest mountain of Midgard, I don't recall its name ; but the point is that with Loki I feel like I reached the top of that mountain, but then I fell down before I can sink my flag on the ground! – Thor ponders as he walks towards the tower.

Usually he can't wait to arrive, but that night he's not so eager to reach his brother, so much that he takes the steps one by one, instead of flying with his trusted, legendary hammer.

- What if it wasn't only fear? What if Loki didn't really feel the same thing I … - he wonders, as he opens the door, once he reached the top.

Something draws him inside, violently, and before he can realize it, the tray drops from his hands, crashing noisily on the floor, while Thor is smashed against the wall, with a body pinning against his, with his lips captured in a kiss that allows no way to escape.

"Very good. You still wear Midgardian clothes. I like them." Loki murmurs, as soon as he allows the other to breathe, tracing his shirt with his fingers, before tearing it in two, without any poetry. "They're way easier to rip off!" he chuckles, before exploring all that exposed, perfect, golden skin, both with his hands and his mouth.

"Loki, but… didn't you say that… " Thor regains the necessary mental lucidity, but loses it once again when he feels Loki's teeth nibbling one of his already turgid nipples.

"I perfectly recall what I've said yesterday and I didn't change my mind. However … I just can't go on like this. I want my memory, first. Besides, we were drunk yesterday. I want to enjoy this moment sober. Please, Thor, make love to me one last time!" Loki pleads, a few inches from the blond's lips.

With an animal growl, Thor lifts Loki up, grabbing his buttocks still trapped inside his trousers and smashes him on the bed, beneath him.

"Okay, Loki, I will make love to you one last time, at one condition only!" he informs him, staring at the brunet from above.

"You can ask me anything!" the god of Chaos assures.

The god of Flashes steals a quick kiss from him, before pronouncing his request.

"This won't be the last time!" he states, with a sparkles in his blue eyes.

The brunet goggles his emerald deep pits in surprise.

"Thor, no, I told you, this will not change anything, it's only that… "

"Shut up! I understood everything. You told me a bunch of lies to try to send me away from you, but I can read in your eyes that you love me!" the blond insists and he has such a determination in his look that Loki realizes that it's useless to keep denying the evidence.

"That's true, but just because I love you I can't love you!" he almost yells at his step-bother, trying to part from him, but the warrior doesn't allow him to do such a thing.

"What you're saying doesn't make any sense!" the god of Thunder snaps, holding his wrists tightly.

"Of course, it does! Whatever I touch decays. Every damn thing. I would end up destroying you!" the younger god asserts, grieving.

Thor frees his wrists, caressing his hair and cheek.

"Your rejection is the only thing that would destroy me!" he murmurs sweetly at his ear.

But Loki is not the type who surrenders easily.

"Thor, please, think about it! You're about to become the new king of Asgard… and would you really like to have for mate just the criminal who stained himself with the worst deeds ever, not only against Asgard, but even against two of the other Eight Realms?" Loki reminds him. "No one would ever approve this union. You deserve to have by your side someone who can shine with your same bright light!" he insists among tears, hugging him tightly.

"There's no one but you who I want by my side. I could even reject the throne for you!" Thor declares, as serious as never before.

Loki jolts, He would have never expect such an answer.

"Thor, this is madness! You should reject me for the throne!" he exhorts the other.

"Never ever. Besides, just like you reminded to me, I'm going to be king, am I not? So if my subjects won't accept our union, our love, I'm going to banish them from Asgard, one by one, even if we should be the two only ones left in this realm!" Thor swears, kissing him deeply.

"Oh." Loki murmurs, against his lips. "Do you realize what you've just said?" he asks him, once they both part from each other to catch their breath.

"Yeah, I know, I'm too sentimental, am I not?" Thor blames himself.

"Please, never change!" Loki jumps on him, switching their roles.

"So will you keep loving me?" Thor asks him in a whisper, moving one of his black lock away from his face.

"Until the end of my days!" Loki beams, sinking his hands into the warrior's golden and soft, long hair.

"This is so nice to hear from an immortal god!" Thor chuckles, tracing the contour of the brunet's lips with a finger, a finger that the other doesn't hesitate to suck with voluptuousness, increasing the blond's heartbeat.

"So now can I restart from where I stopped?" Loki asks him, famished, licking his chest.

"I can't wait!" the other raises his eyebrow, sensually.

Loki pleases him, sucking one of his nipples as he rolls the other between his thumb and index.

"And this time we'll remember every instant of this!" the brunet murmurs, with a look full of promises, as he traces with kisses Thor's muscular abs, until he reaches his belly, playing with it a lot.

As soon as he places his hand on the elder god's crotch, Thor stops him with his own hand.

"Oh no way, little brother, don't you even dare to think that you can go further if you're still so clothed!" Thor chuckles, trapping the other beneath him, before starting to deal with his tunic. "Dammit! Why do you have such complicated clothes?" he curses, since he has some difficulties with his laces.

"Because I like driving you crazy!" the brunet sneers devilishly, helping Thor free himself from his clothes."

"Well, there are other ways to drive someone crazy!" the blond smirks.

"Why don't you show me?" Loki suggests.

The only answer he gets is Thor's ravenous attack to his snowy neck, kissing, sucking and nibbling it in spots that can really drive the god of Mischief crazy, while the blond's hands caresses his hairless chest, toned despite his thinness, while the other hands traces his back, up and down, staining its candor with pinkish scratches.

Loki moans and arches his back.

"You have a way with that, big brother!" he murmurs, before cupping his face and kissing him deeply.

That continuous calling each other 'brother' should make them feel awkward and should refrain them somewhat, instead it does nothing but increase their ardor, it's something sexy and a little kinky.

By then, they both wear only their trousers and in that position, with their pelvis one against the others, their erections rub each other.

Their mutual desire is unsustainable.

There's no time for playing anymore, they want the same thing and they want it immediately.

They get rid of each other's left clothes and once they're naked, after admiring each other for a while, in respectful silence, Loki opens his legs and Thor grabs his calves, bringing them on his shoulders.

"I want you inside me!" Loki orders.

Thor replies with a violent kiss, while he gets assured with his fingers that his mate is ready for him and it's so.

Loki wants so much and shows Thor that with a simple look.

Thor nods and, gradually, enters inside the other, as the brunet welcomes him between screams and moans, moving his hips to getting accustomed to the rhythm, which increases push after push.

They reach the apex of pleasure almost together, first Loki, with the blond's name on his lips and then Thor who screams the other's name, remaining inside him, just like the god of Chaos requests.

"It was… " Thor murmurs at the end, collapsing on the wizard's shoulder.

"I know and it will be many other times." Loki smiles, as he draws small circles with his fingers on the blond warrior's chest.

They lay like that for a while, cuddling, without any need for words, until something breaks the silence and it's Loki's stomach grumbling.

"Damn me! I should have let you place the tray on the table, before jumping on you!" he grumbles, as he stares upset at the dinner on the floor, now uneatable.

"You're worse than Volstagg! Do you always think about eating only?" Thor giggles.

"How dare you? Besides, I didn't even eat yesterday!" the youngest prince informs him, pouting.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't know that. I f you want, I can… " Thor offers, ready to get up from the bed, but Loki has other plans and pushes him back on the mattress, beneath him, awakening his mate's virility with sinful caresses.

"Now I'm going to show you what I always think about!"

TBC

_Hope you'll like it, please let me know._

_I'm not going to abandon this story, but please don't abandon me ;)_

_huge hugs and thanks for your time_


	16. IX I: Unexpected

I know, it's hard, very hard to believe, but I'm back.

I don't expect reviews, because I made you wait for too long and I don't deserve them, I just hope you'll enjoy the reading:

sorry: unbetaed chapter

Chapter IX I : Unexpected

Thor is already awake for a while, as by the half opened door he observes the darkness of the night gradually dissolving, about to leave its place to the dawn. That dawn that every day tear them apart. It's a dawn so ruthless and indifferent.

He takes advantage of those last precious moments that he can still spend in the tower watching his beloved brother, adoptive or not it doesn't matter to him.

Loki, fully clothed, is sleeping curled up on his bared chest, with an outstretched arm lazily lying on Thor's hip and the other hand barely holding a few golden locks between his fingers.

The expression on his face is serene. Thor would bet that he's smiling.

- Who knows, maybe he's having a good dream. - he thinks, still looking at his brother, torn between the urge to stroke him and the fear of waking him.

- Although I can't imagine what it a good dream might mean for him! - he ponders, imagining a Loki who is the king of Asgard and Midgard and is looking with sadistic pleasure at the rubble of Jotunheim, which he has just razed.

As long as it's just a pure and innocent dreaming, Thor can smile amused about it.

The only thing that he is absolutely certain about is that he could watch Loki sleeping for hours and hours.

However, the time is decidedly opposed to his intent.

No matter how romantic that intimate contact is, because it is also very difficult to disentangle without waking up the brunet.

But with a series of careful and focused moves, perhaps the mission is possible.

First, Thor takes one of his hands in his gently loosening the grip of those long slender fingers around his hair.  
He succeeds brilliantly in the task, resting his hand on the soft pillow.  
Thor continues his ''mission', lifting slowly his arm and stretching it along the side of the god of Chaos.

Finally free to move, Thor gets out of bed, but the creaking of the springs in the mattress and his sudden rise due to lack of weight betrays the blond warrior.

"Mphff ..." Loki moans, opening his eyes and rubbing them with his hands into fists, by gradually focus the figure next to him.

"It 's already dawn?" he mutters numbly.

"Not yet, but there is little time. Forgive me, I did not want to wake you up. " Thor apologizes.

"The delicacy has never been your strength point!" Loki chuckles, sitting on the bed.

"But I thought I was delicate!" the blond protests, a bit offended in his ego.

"Well, good, that's the key word: you _thought_ you were. It 's more or less as if an elephant would think to be a graceful creature!" the god of Mischief keeps on laughing.

"Again, I did not mean to wake you!" the god of Thunder reiterates as he puts his clothes on.

"I know, but I'm glad you did. In fact, I would like you to do it always. "

"Why?" Thor asks surprised.

"Because this way, at least, every time I open my eyes I can still find you here with me." the brunet mutters with a faint smile, sheepishly.

Thor beams, then burst out laughing.

"Then I would be the sentimental, eh?" he teases the other, seizing the wonderful opportunity.

"Hey!" Loki snaps, glaring at him.

Now he is the one with insulted ego.

"You're lucky that I'm still too sleepy to react!" the brunet yawns, lying on the mattress.

"Sleep, then, brother!" Thor suggests him, now ready to go, approaching the youngest to stroke his raven- hair and place a kiss on his forehead. "The sunset will come soon." he murmurs, walking towards the door.

"You really think that you can go away like that?" Loki's voice stops him and a moment later the blond god finds himself pressed against the wall by the brunet god who is intentioned to give him a kiss that's worthy of note, to which Thor feels free to participate actively, holding him close and tasting his soft lips, as if they were the sweetest fruit.

And they are, but mostly are a forbidden fruit.

"That's better!" the god of Chaos says satisfied, going back to bed with a big smile.  
Thor leaves as happy as well, unaware that he's displaying a stupid expression on his face.

Before going back to sleep Loki thinks about he was dreaming, wishing he could resume it.

- I walked through Asgard with Thor, happy and undisturbed. I was reading a book in the shade of a leafy tree, he was telling me about some adventurous battle alongside the other Avengers, and then we were making love, hidden behind the bushes. Here, the only thing I have are the Thor's tales and Thor himself, and it is a lot, of course. But I wonder if I'll ever get out of here, if I'll can ever savor freedom, if I will see the faces of the dearest people and also the less lovely people ... –

And with these inner questions, Loki falls asleep.

/

"First you're happy, the next day depressed and now you're beaming again, no, wait, I don't think I've ever seen you so high, my son!" Frigga comments, during her daily visit.

"D'you think so?" Thor replies vaguely, while continuing to smile, but looking towards the window.

Frigga gets up from the chair where she was accommodated with a swish of her sumptuous clothes and reaches the eldest son.

"Sure, and I'll tell you more. This change of mood so frequent is typical of only one thing: love. " the queen pronounces, with a smirk.

Thor gasps, feeling his legs weak and his hands suddenly more sweaty.

"Love?" he chuckles nervously, as if to underline the absurdity of that statement.

"Yes, Thor, love, it could not be anything else. So, my dear, is there something you want to tell me, some news that I think we should be told about? " in the woman urges him to confide. "Is there or is there not a girl that makes your heart beat a little stronger?"

- Oh yes there is. The 'girl' in question has hair that are blacker than the night, the most beautiful green eyes in all the nine realms and a smile that can melt even the land from which he is originated - Thor thinks with an amused smile, before reminding to himself that he's not alone and it's not that the proper time for certain considerations.

"Mother, the reason of my changing mood is Loki." Announces the blond, choosing the truth.

Frigga looks a bit confused, tilting her head to one side.

"What did you say, dear?"

The future king of Asgard hopes that all the time he spent with the God of Lies can help him lie in the most convincing way possible.

"You know, mother, you're right about one thing, it is love that changed me. But not as you intend it, I talk about another kind of love: the fraternal love. Any attempt to move away from Loki pains me, as well as every step that I can take to move closer to him fills my heart with joy and hope. " the blond reveals, happy to see his mother smile touched.

"And just yesterday there was a considerable approach." he informs her, returning to tell the truth, even if a little hidden.

"You are finding your brother!" a joyful Frigga sentences, hugging him.

- Oh, mother, not only. Loki is much, much more than this - the god of Thunder ponders, but he confines himself only to nodding.

"So I infer from this that Loki is behaving well." Frigga points out.

"Extremely well." Thor guarantees.

"He deserves a prize. You and your father have already made gifts to him. But he hasn't received anything from me yet. "

"You already have something in mind, mother, don't you?" Thor questions, glad to give Loki another gift.

"Yes, and I'm sure he'll like it a lot." she smiles. "Thor, my dear, you should to go to Midgard and ..."

/

"Thor! Do you want to remove that stupid smile from your face? " Sif excliams, trying to hit him fast with a stick, but the blond is faster and blocks the shot in mid-air.

"I'm still smiling, am not I?" Thor questions, moving away to wait for the new attack of her friend.

"You're doing nothing but that! I can understand that you're happy, but ... you're becoming unbearable! " her friend replies, using the stick as a base to launch herself into the air and extend her leg, determined to hit her friend's sternum.

"Sif, may I have to remind you of how you reacted when you found out that your feelings for Fandral were mutual?" he puts her in trouble.

The warrior loses both her determination and her balance and that gives Thor the opportunity to grab her ankle and fling her on the ground.

"Low blow!. And it's a completely different story! "she points out, getting up.

"Why? Because you and he are not brothers? "he asks, uploading a punch that ends up only hitting the air, because of the girl's high agility.

Moreover, the two are free to speak, because they are divided in pairs during training and each is dedicated to fight their opponent, resorting to their own strengths and trying to identify the weaknesses of the opponent.

Fandral is battling against Hogun, and Volstagg ... well, he is paired with a leg of lamb and certainly not for them to fight!

After all, the portly and good-natured warrior sometimes needs a 'small' snack.

"I still do not understand why I could not stay paired with my Sif!" Fandral complains, while he dodges Hogun's blows.

"Because you two would irrevocably ended up having ... a different kind of fight!" his friend , usually so serious and taciturn, makes a witty remark.

"Hogun! Do you really believe that can I give such a show of my amatory arts with my girlfriend in public? " the blond swordsman looks shocked, placing the weapon and deciding that he can take a momentary pause. "Well, I must say, my good friend, you do know me!" he grins cheekly, and then turn his gaze to the said partner, which is so busy facing a fierce discussion.

"I wonder what they're so animatedly discussing about!" it's the question of her future husband.

"It is not given to know, and now, let's continue the fight!" the austere Hogun brings him back to duty.

In a fast move, Sif grabs her stick again and pushes Thor against the adjacent wall, pressing the stick along its entire length, at the level of his throat.

"To begin with, it's something I've been waiting for years and years!" Sif points out, increasing the pressure of her weapon.

Thor releases himself with embarrassing easiness and snatches the stick.

"Why? Did not I? " the blond replies. "It 's true, I started to consider it a far less impure feeling when I discovered that Loki was adopted, but the truth is that I've loved him before, in silence, hidden from everyone, no matter if it was right or wrong." the warrior confesses, ceasing the fight.

"Well I was too afraid to open my heart to Fandral ..." Sif insists, with a calmer attitude.

"Well, wasn't I afraid as well with Loki? I was convinced that he hated me! "Thor interrupts her.

Sif is beginning to be sick of all those analogies.

"I had fear, given the well known reputation of callous womanizer that Fandral had!" Sif retorts. "Try saying that we are alike even in this!" she challenges him.

"No, I would not say that" Thor replies.

-If I think that Loki has also apologized for not having much practice with kisses. - he smiles at the memory.

"All right, Sif, you won this battle of words." A the blond assures, then he makes her stumble, sending her to the ground again. "But not the workout. Never let your guard down, my friend! " he grins, staring victoriously at her from above and pointing the end of the stick at her throat.

"Hey, Thor, don't treat her too badly!" Fandral exclaims, after winning his confrontation against Hogun.

"I was just teaching her a good lesson!" the blond shrugs, throwing away the stick.

"It was no lesson. You cheated! " Sif accuses him, annoyed, while the swordsman helps her to her feet.

"Well, my little doll, do not forget that our friend is forced to constantly pay a visit to the infamous god of Mischief. Maybe he must have been influenced by him " Fandral chuckles, but he does not understand why Thor and Sif are glaring at him so badly.

He decides to ignore them and changes the subject.

"Anyway, my friend, why do you have to work so hard? If I were you I will go down to have fun on Midgard or in the other eight realms " Fandral gives him a pat on the back, while Thor looks away, embarrassed, and Sif shakes her head, running a frustrated hand over her face.

"Besides, Thor, you will have full scope with all the native beauties, now that the your handsome friends is going to have a loop around his nec .. aaahh! " Fandral screams in pain , when Sif takes him by the tip of his ear, dragging him away.

"Ah, so this is the way you see our wedding, eh?" she exclaims insulted, pulling harder.

"Ouch! No, my beloved, I was just kidding, you know, just big talks among friends!" the sowrdman justifies , while Thor watches them amused as they leave

"Sure, sure! Anyway, you should be forbidden to speak in public! " she continues to drag him away.

"Why? What did I say wrong? " the confused blond asks, happy that his girlfriend let his ear free, but the relief does not last long, because she grabs him by the collar of his armor, pulling him.

"And if you dare again to call me 'doll' in front of everybody, you become cat food, got it?" she barks, threatening as only she can be.

/

Inizio modulo

"In addition, today Fandral and Sif were so sickening, they did nothing but kiss and this before they started a fight, but they certainly will have already made things right!" Thor sentences.

Loki has just finished his dinner and lies down on the bed, side by side, with Loki listening to him, while the brunet runs his fingertips along the mighty god of Thunder's chest.

"They 've kissed all the time, such unbearable lovebirds!" the blond complains, before caress from his adoptive brother calms him down, followed by a kiss on his lips.

"Oh, yes. "he whispers, kissing him back, but this time lingering a little more. "Those couples," he adds with another kiss, with increasing intensity. "I know what you mean," he murmurs, involving Thor in yet another kiss. "Really annoying!" he concludes with a chuckle and a last kiss.

Then from there he realizes that there's something he had not seen before.

"Hey, but what's behind the tray?" Loki questions, pointing to the corner of the bed.

Thor slaps himself in the face, jumping out of the bed to retrieve the object indicated by the younger prince.

"Uh! I was almost forgetting! "He says. "This is a gift for you!" he continues, handing the book in question. "It 's from ..."

"From mother!" Loki anticipates him and begins skimming through it with great interest.

"How did you ..." Thor stares at him puzzled.

"She's the only one who knows me so well." the brunet asserts, but then he notices the blond's disappointed look. "On an intellectual level, I mean!" he rushes to clarify.

"Ah, that. Yes, she does!" Thor chuckles, visibly happier.

"William Shakespeare ..." Loki mutters, unable to tear his eyes from the book, capturing scattered parts and promising to himself to enjoy it more calmly when he's alone. " Midgardian had great literary people in the course of their history, I'm sure he will not be less worthy!"

"It will be my concern to report to mother how much you appreciated her gift!" Thor smiles, amused to see him so absorbed in exploring the contents of the collection of poems.

"I would do it in person ..." escapes from Loki's mouth.

"What did you say, brother?" Thor urges him to talk, sitting down again at his side and detaching him from the reading, at least temporarily.

"It 's the truth. As well I can feel good with you, and how happy I am for your visits, I miss seeing other faces, whether if they are friendly or not, I miss walking in the park, I miss sitting on the top of the mountains, I miss reflecting, as I stare at the sea. I miss Asgard! " Loki confesses, sighing.

Thor does not know how to strike back, the only thing that instinct tells him to do is look for the younger god's hands and hold them in his.

"I'll do anything to alleviate your nostalgia!" he promises.

"I know, brother!" Loki smiles, hiding his face against the crook of his neck and beginnig to place delicate kisses on it.

Thor takes it as an invitation, making Loki relax on the bed and straddling him. With a patience that usually is not his typical behavior, the blonds lowly unbuttons the brunet's black tunic, kissing and caressing the exposed skin.

Moaning happy Loki lets him do, while continuing to read, but does not read to the bottom, only analyzes only the starting point and a few sentences later, it seems that he's mostly looking for something.

Thor takes his upper garment off, ready to move on to the pants, but the younger prince's voice stop him.

" Who will believe my verse in time to come,

If it were fill'd with your most high deserts?

Though yet, heaven knows, it is but as a tomb

Which hides your life and shows not half your parts."

Loki reads, with velvety voice and Thor is bewitched. His tone is warm and every word is a caress to his heart.

The god of Chaos gives one last look at those verses, to memorize them, and then closes the book, placing it at the table and he devotes himself to his mate.

" If I could write the beauty of your eyes

And in fresh numbers number all your graces,

The age to come would say 'This poet lies:

Such heavenly touches ne'er touch'd earthly faces "

The younger prince declaims, reverently stroking that visage that he has chosen to dedicate the poem to, taking in the small but intense blue eyes of his beloved.

"Yes, I really like this Shakiman" Thor smiles ecstatic.

"It's Shakespeare" Loki corrects him, rolling his eyes and parting from him. "You ruined everything, as your usual!" he snorts, grabbing his tunic.

(End I)

_Discliamer : the 'poem' Loki reads it's from Shakespeare 's Sonnet XVII ._

_I know .. Loki, Tom Hiddleston, Shakespeare … I couldn't resist._

_Hope you'll still like it , hope you'll still remember it._

_I hate myself for becoming so slowly but I can't help it…_


End file.
